Attack on the High Seas! (Pirate School Series #3), Vol. 3 »

Brian James lives in Phoenicia, New York. Jennifer Zivoin lives in Carmel, Indiana.

Rotten Tooth has finally decided it's time to teach the pirate kids some real pirating skills! They are overjoyed—until he begins by showing them how to tie and untie different knots. BOR-ING! But one night while the kids are below deck practicing their knots, the Sea Rat comes under attack by the Filthy Sails, a rival pirate ship! When the intruders overtake the ship, it's up to the kids to sneak around and figure out how to save their crew. Can they save the Sea Rat and its crew?

Children's Literature

All pirates hope to see adventure, and young pirates-in-training are no exception. The third book of the "Pirate School" series begins with a gruesome breakfast: twins Vicky and Aaron cooked up a big pot of sea slug cereal and can not wait to share it with their fellow students. They are rescued momentarily when their despicable teacher, Rotten Tooth shows up, but the students' hope that he would teach them real pirate skills fade when he tells them the Sea Rat is being chased by another ship. He leaves them to practice tying knots for the entire day and challenges them to learn the Sheepshank Man-o'-War, the most difficult knot on the high seas. Little does he know that their practice will pay off handsomely when their ship is captured by the crew of the Filthy Sails. With Captain Stinky Beard and all of the crew tied to the masts and the Sheepshank Man-o'War in knots and heavily guarded, it is up to the pirate kids to come up with a plan to rescue them. While populated with many characters for young readers to keep track of, the fast pace and dialogue laced with pirate lingo will maintain the interest of reluctant readers. Zivoin's winsome illustrations bring the comedy of the story to vivid life and focus on the story's most important moments, aiding children in learning story structure. Reviewer: Keri Collins Lewis