Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: The Tale of Billy Turner and Other Stories, alternatively titled The Tale of Billy Turner (and other stories) is the thirteenth and final book in the Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow series of children's reader books.
Publisher's summary[]
It's Pirates galore in the book store! This super special includes an all-new story about Jack's crew from the Barnacle, chronicling their tales while they were away from their fearless captain. The story also tells the origin on one of the beloved characters from the films, Bootstrap Bill Turner! In addition, five rare Young Jack Sparrow back-up stories that appeared in magazines and on websites as promotional pieces and short fiction are included, as well as a preview of the upcoming second wave of chapter books, Jack Sparrow and the Young Pirates of the Caribbean. If that weren't enough, there's also an exclusive short story based on the Legends of the Brethren Court series. All this AND original concept sketches from the series' development PLUS a gatefold cover featuring every major character that's ever appeared in a Young Jack Sparrow book!
Plot[]
The Tale of Billy Turner[]
Young Billy Turner is a teenage boy living a boring, ordinary life on the Isle of Man with his Uncle Seamus, Aunt Erin and dog, Crumbs. Things quickly start to change however when all the fish in the surrounding seas begin to die off, thrusting his hometown into dire poverty. Wanting to ensure their nephew a good life, Seamus and Erin spend their life savings to get him a ticket aboard a ship called the Sea Star sailing all the way to North Carolina. Unfortunately for Billy, the ship's captain, David Donovan, realizes his ticket is actually a counterfeit and accuses Billy of being a stowaway and forces him off the ship. He is ultimately taken in by a pirate crew looking to replace two crewmates who had fought and killed each other on the ship before Billy's arrival. When the pirates reach Bermuda, the Navy checks their faked papers, but because Billy doesn't have any, they immediately haul him off to prison, and eventually he is taken aboard a ship headed to Port Royal where he is set to be hung.
Just when all hope seems lost for Turner, however, two young pirates named Arabella Smith and Jean Magliore infiltrate the ship trying to get the records of their ship, the Fleur de la Mort. After they stumble across Billy in their search, he manages to convince them to help him escape by offering to steal the records they seek for them to gain their trust. Billy is able to make good on his word as the naval crew are distracted fending off a ferocious sea monster that has begun attacking the ship. As he, Arabella, and Jean attempt to make their way to safety, Billy discovers that the Sea Star crew are actually responsible for the sea monster's attacks and for placing the Isle of Man in grave danger. Billy bravely takes on the sea monster himself, and after managing to destroy it for good, strands Donovan and his scheming first mate on a nearby desert island. Impressed with his bravery, Billy is invited to officially join the Fleur de la Mort's crew by it's captain, Laura Smith.
Other Stories[]
The rest of the stories presented in the book are various snippets deleted from other Young Jack Sparrow novels or else shorts taken from the Disney Adventures Comics. In the order presented they are:
Not-So-Calm Before the Storm[]
Panic overtakes the crew of the Barnacle as Jack Sparrow's nemesis, the evil Captain Torrents, prepares to unleash a hellish storm upon them in order to claim the scabbard of Cortés for himself.
The Nosy Stranger[]
Jack gets suspicious when a mysterious stranger approaches the Barnacle's crew in the middle of a quest and tries to fish out their plans to attain the Sword of Cortés from Left-Foot Louis.
The Bedeviled Egg[]
Desperate to lose the Barnacle crew hunting her down through the streets of New Orleans, Madame Minuit casts a spell on one Captain Jack Sparrow that unleashes a strange, powerful desire for eggs within him. It's all Arabella and the rest of Jack's crew can do to snap him out of it so they can steal the Sun-and-stars amulet back from the witch before it's too late.
The Mermaid Key[]
A deeper look into the lives of the blue-tailed mermaids Morveren, Aquala, and Aquila, and how they kept the rest of their race under their control for thousands of years. In his quest for the Trident of Poseidon, Jack Sparrow learns more about the history of the mermaids and how the blue-tails, immune from the trident's charms, managed to keep the weapon locked away under Poseidon's Peak through the use of a special secret key.
The Cat's Meow[]
- "JEAN, Ye better hope Constance isn't the only one with nine lives!"
- ―Arabella Smith to Jean Magliore
When Constance gets trapped on the bowsprit of the Barnacle, Jean begins to seriously panic as he realizes the cat is on her ninth and last life. Though initially unwilling, Jack is ultimately convinced by Arabella to quickly walk out on the bowsprit and rescue Constance before it's too late. Just as Jean begins to extend his gratitude, an ungrateful Constance begins to tear up Jack's prized boots and spit at him. Jean begins stuttering madly before bolting down the ship as Jack starts chasing him every which way. Just as Arabella's mind begins to wander on how happy she is about her great life as a pirate, Constance offers her a dead mouse, causing her to screech that Jean better hope his sister isn't the only one with nine lives, and joins Jack chasing him around the ship.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Billy Turner
- Uncle Seamus (First appearance)
- Aunt Erin (First appearance)
- David Donovan (First appearance)
- Mr. Hawk (First appearance)
- Reverend Chambers (First appearance)
- Jameson (First appearance)
- Admiral Lawson (First mentioned)
- Unnamed admiral (First appearance)
- Arabella Smith
- Jean Magliore
- Jack Sparrow
- Tumen
- Laura Smith
- Constance Magliore
- Reece
- Left-Foot Louis (Mentioned only)
- Smith (Arabella's father) (Mentioned only)
- Billy Turner's mother (Mentioned only)
- Davy Jones (Mentioned only)
- Fitzwilliam P. Dalton III
- Minuit (Mentioned only)
- Old fisherman (First appearance)
- Morveren
- Tia Dalma (Mentioned only)
- Thief (Tortuga) (First appearance)
Creatures and species[]
- Dog
- Crumbs (First appearance)
- Sea monster
- Seagull
- Rat
- Chicken
- Shark (Appears as a corpse)
- Crab (Appears as a corpse)
- Octopus (Appears as a corpse)
- Snake (Mentioned only)
- Mermaid
- Cow (Mentioned only)
- Jaguar (Mentioned only)
Objects and weapons[]
- Pound (Mentioned only)
- Tobacco (Mentioned only)
- Hat
- Cane
- Voucher (First appearance)
- Flag
- Doubloon (Mentioned only)
- Key
- Skeleton key
- Ledger
- Sword
- Cutlass
- Jack Sparrow's rapier
- Sword of Cortés (Mentioned only)
- Obsidian knife
- Wig
- Laura Smith's compass (Mentioned only)
- Cannon
- Gunpowder
- Spyglass
- Mainsail
- Anchor (Mentioned only)
- Barrel
- Gold
Locations[]
- Isle of Man (First appearance)
- New World
- Davy Jones' Locker (Mentioned only)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Ipswich (First appearance)
- Caribbean
- Jamaica
- Tortuga
- Faithful Bride (Mentioned only)
- Barbuda (First mentioned)
- Isla Fortuna (Mentioned only)
- Isla Puerta (Mentioned only) (Possible appearance)
- Seven Seas (Mentioned only)
- Costa Rica (Mentioned only)
Organizations and titles[]
- Crew of the Sea Star (First appearance)
- Captain
- Cook
- British Royal Navy
- Royal Marines
- Admiral
- Prisoner
- Stowaway (Mentioned only)
- Crew of the Fleur de la Mort
- First Mate
- Mademoiselle
- Lady
- Innkeeper (Mentioned only)
- Crew of the Barnacle
- Old salt
Ships[]
- Sea Star (First appearance)
- Unnamed Royal Navy ship (First appearance)
- Fleur de la Mort
- Flying Dutchman (Mentioned only)
- Barnacle
Miscellanea[]
- Clothing
- Heaven (Mentioned only)
- Death
- All hands
- Grog
- Walk the plank (Mentioned only)
- Land ho
- Aye
- Hanging (Mentioned only)
- Fate
- Superstition
- Parlay (Mentioned only)
- Amnesty (Mentioned only)
- Okay
- Avast
- Treason
- Magic
- Science
- Pirate's life
- Freedom
- Execution
- Cross-dressing
- Blood
- Heart (Mentioned only)
- Code of the Pirate Brethren
- Revenge
- Adventure
- Boarding
- Curse of the Flying Dutchman (Mentioned only)
- Savvy
- Et cetera
- Prayer (Mentioned only)
- Maroon
