- Mystery
- Cruise Ship Kid collection
- Ages 8–11
Cruise Ship Kid
Part of the collectionCruise Ship Kid→A warm, funny detective series aboard a cruise ship, with a fresh twisty mystery every book and a plucky heroine to cheer for - ideal for newly confident readers.
- Books2 / 2
- Arcs1
- Span2025–2026
- StatusOngoing
The series
At a glance.
Emma Swan's illustrated detective series follows ten-year-old Silver, who lives aboard a cruise ship where her mum is Deputy Cruise Director. Each book is a self-contained whodunnit - vanished watches, a missing social-media influencer - solved by Silver as she snoops through restaurants, shops and swimming pools, usually landing herself in an ocean of trouble. Beneath the comedy runs a warm thread about making friends when everyone else is only on holiday, proving yourself trustworthy, and earning a little more independence. Katie Saunders's bright, characterful illustrations keep the pace zippy and the tone light. Fast-moving and genuinely funny, with satisfyingly twisty plots, it is an ideal step-up mystery for newly confident readers who want a heroine to root for.
A warm, funny detective series aboard a cruise ship, with a fresh twisty mystery every book and a plucky heroine to cheer for - ideal for newly confident readers.
Primary themes
Overall tone
- Funny
- Adventurous
- Warm
- Exciting
Publication order recommended - each mystery stands alone, but Silver's world and her mum's career move forward across the books.
One arc
The shape of the series.
- IStandalone collection arcBooks 1–2 · 2025–2026Low sensitivity
Silver's cases
Two self-contained shipboard whodunnits solved by budding detective Silver.
Every Cruise Ship Kid book is a self-contained mystery, so this collection covers the series to date. In the first, Silver cracks the case of a wealthy family's vanished watches while trying to prove she is best-friend material to newcomer Yana; in the second, aboard a glamorous new ship, she hunts a missing social-media influencer to show her mum she is responsible enough for a phone of her own. Both pair comedic shipboard chaos with a satisfyingly twisty plot and a warm heart about friendship, honesty and earning trust. Brightly illustrated and fast-moving, with the sensitivity low throughout, they make dependable, confidence-building reads for newly confident readers.
Fit check
Right for your reader?
Where the series lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- 15
- 17
- 19
- Best fit · 8–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 8–11
Reluctant-reader friendliness
High
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Adult crossover
Low
Grows with the reader
Not especially
Sensitivity envelope
Low overall, and consistent.
Where it sits
In conversation with other series.
Similar in feel
Different shelves, same wavelength.
- The Baby-Sitters Club →
About the author