By Corinne Demas, Scholastic, Inc., $16.99, 32 pages
When pirates and their parrots attend school, anything can happen. Author Corinne Demas brings readers a swashbuckling new adventure in Pirates Go To School. This rhyming tale will have all students wanting peg-legged pirates in their classrooms! Illustrator John Manders uses a mix of watercolors, gouache, and colored pencil to create bright, unique, and “ARG”-worthy drawings.
Along with backpacks filled with books, the pirates hang up their swords on coatroom hooks. Imagine how surprised the teacher is when a ship full of seaworthy students shows up. Who will sit next to the pirate who stinks of rotting fish? Clay is what everyone is working with during art, but the pirates only want to make cannonballs. For show-and-tell, they share treasure chests, maps, and gold! When the pirates are offered a snack of carrots, they refuse, and eat slimy squid instead. Will the pirates plan a mutiny before story time? These pirates are cool and love school. Manders’ illustrations have hidden details that little eyes will eagerly focus on. Prepare for this adventure to be a family favorite. Be willing to read it again and again, or walk the plank!
Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin