I knew it would be great. Her early reader PIRATE MOM is one of ...
581070
As soon as I saw HERE COMES TEACHER CAT was written by Deborah Underwood, I knew it would be great. Her early reader PIRATE MOM is one of my kids' favorite -- and mine, too! If you love to read humorous stories to your children, then you need to add this lazy cat to your list. My sons are reluctant readers, so anything that will help them fall in love with reading, is good with me.
2197594
Wonderful  twist on the typical.  My daughter thought the princess was cute in her pirate gear. I would recommend this book to other parents for their children.
3536049
No spoilers in this review of Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. I give it 4 stars! This book was fun from start to finish. Levenseller sets a good pace for her story and strings us along with fun banter on nearly every page.

As unusual as it is for her age and gender, Alosa is a young pirate who already has her own ship and crew. Her father is also a pirate (the king of pirates, to be exact), so she has learned from the best. Alosas father wants her to track down a piece of a map that supposedly leads to a long-lost treasure. She needs to board another ship to search for the map, so she gets kidnapped (on purpose) to gain access to these pirates and their ship. The former captain recently passed away, and his eldest son Draxen is the new leader aboard this ship. His younger brother Riden is the first mate and is assigned to keep an eye on and question Alosa. These two continually try to outsmart each other and interpret the others true motives.

This isn't a story where the characters experience a lot of growth. Its a mystery in which, right along with Alosa, readers slowly discover whats important about the map, whether its even aboard this ship to begin with, and what the true intentions of the various pirates are. Alosa is a courageous, smart, witty main character who I loved from page one. I liked how her personality coupled with Ridens even though they were on opposing sides. Finally, a touch of magic is introduced later in the story. Its fun, unique, and sure to be explored further in the sequel.

I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! There are a few gritty plot points, but its predominantly on the younger side of YA, which is refreshing when many YA books are hovering on the YA/NA line.

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4945878
I think readers, especially grade school age, are going to love Rebekah and I also feel a lot of them would want to be just like her and try out their detective skills. As Rebekah tries to find out who is stealing flowers from the garden her adventure begins. The author does a great job with this story and I even think this would be a good book to read aloud as a bedtime story to younger kids. Included in this book is a sneak peek into a few of the author's other works, all of which look very interesting.
1491095
This was the first book I read by MaryLu Tyndall. After reading it and LOVING it, I looked her up and had to find all of her other books so I could read them, too. Then I went out and bought all of her books! I believe I now own all of her books. Her books are great, this one was a lot of fun because it is a about a woman pirate! All of her books are filled with stories of courage, hope, and love. And I especially like the PIRATES!
3637202
My daughter is an avid reader and always has been. But she has struggled with reading comp books for most of her academic career. Mostly, it's because the stories just didn't capture her attention, they were not interesting to her in the slightest. I took a gamble this year and tried this book even though there were no reviews yet. I couldn't be happier that I did. It's really simple reading for her, perhaps 3rd-5th grade level if I had to guess, and to my astonishment, she's getting perfect grades suddenly. I asked her why, what was the difference? She told me it was because she liked it. There are times to stretch the mind and fight through the struggle, but there are also times that we have to remember the joy of reading. I think that's a gift worth instilling, and I thank the authors for creating this book for little girls like my daughter. Shakespeare and Dickens can come later.
2830165
SURVIVING SERENDIPITY
JACQUELYN SYLVAN

Rating: 4 Enchantments

June didn't expect much from her twenty-first birthday, all she wanted was a night out with her two best friends and fianc Kyle. But when she returns home alone from a rather depressing night out, she could never imagine what would be waiting for her or how very life changing a guy dressed like an extra from the 'Pirates of The Caribbean' could be when he whisks her away to a whole new world, one that everyone there expects her to save.

June's a very fun, likeable character. A definite fish out of water story, June must learn to deal very quickly with the information thrown at her. Nothing in her life was what it seemed and now she must accept who she really is and step into a life she never expected, all to save a world she doesn't know.

The scene that sticks out in my head long after finishing SURVIVING SERENDIPITY takes place quite early in the book when June has just been transported to her new world. Waking up in a foreign room, she follows the sound of voices to find a group of blue men around the kitchen table, with the now familiar pirate/genie right there with them. I so loved this scene because it's where June starts to learn the truth about herself, that she isn't who she thinks she is and in a laugh out loud moment, that she isn't speaking English like she thinks she is, she's speaking fluently in a whole other language she never knew existed.

Ms. Sylvan creates a very unique, very detailed world in which to set SURVIVING SERENDIPITY. I look forward to reading more from this talented debut author.

You can visit Ms. Sylvan online at her website, [...]

Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
April 2008
231371
Jolly has an unusual life for a 14-year-old girl. Her name comes from the Jolly Roger, the flag flown by pirates. She lives aboard a sailing ship, with her adopted family of pirates. She doesn't attend a traditional school, learning instead day by day how to further her career --- as a pirate! And that's not all that makes Jolly unusual; even more so is her rare ability to walk on water. Jolly is a Polliwog and believes she's the only Polliwog left alive. But she's mistaken.

Fourteen-year-old Munk is a Polliwog, and he also believes he's the only one left. Munk lives a sheltered life on a secluded island with only his parents and their staff of ghost workers. His parents forbid him to use his Polliwog talents in fear that he'll be kidnapped or killed. So Munk keeps busy working on the family plantation. Unfortunately, Munk doesn't hold much interest in the plantation business; he'd much rather follow his daydreams of becoming a pirate.

But Jolly and Munk's lives soon turn upside down and spin way out of control. An unknown enemy lures Jolly's ship into a trap, with only Jolly managing to escape and believing the rest of the crew dead. She washes ashore on Munk's island, and they quickly learn of each other's secret. But the amazement of finding another Polliwog in existence immediately vanishes when the enemy follows Jolly to the island and destroys Munk's parents. Jolly and Munk run for their lives with the help of a man known as the Ghost Trader. He explains that the gate to another world is crumbling away, inviting dangerous creatures intent on death and destruction. Jolly and Munk set sail on an amazing adventure to save the world.

THE PIRATE CURSE offers a non-stop, action-packed thrill of a read. Each page introduces incredible adventures involving magic, pirates, strange creatures, dangerous missions, and even a bit of humor to lighten the load. German author Kai Meyer has quite a bit of writing experience under his belt, and he proves his talents over and over with his imaginative details and knowledgeable descriptions of sailing ships, the open sea and the beautiful Caribbean. THE PIRATE CURSE will leave readers eager and impatient for the promised sequel.

  --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND
4242637
What a great idea. An interactive book. My son had a lot of fun to choose his adventure. And besides, he loves pirates! Excellent book.
3178922
I knew it was too early to buy this book for my eight month old daughter, but it turned out to be a real nice read for me as a mom to prepare. I still have a feeling of awe when I go to the woods. After I started reading I had a pretty clear image about the life in the forest - and how the monsters look like. I bet my daughter will also have a similar feeling, as she inherits my DNA, Having practiced many times, I am now confident that my reading voice can keep my daughter in the forest monster world even after she closes here eyes in the bed. It rhymes nicely. I only wished that the snail (the hero) was a girl.
1346569
I've always liked pirate stories, but had never read Treasure Island until now. I'm a big fan of Black Sails, and when I realized that this TV show is a prequel to Treasure Island, I knew I had to read it. I'm glad I did! It puts a lot of things into context, and it's nice to imagine how future seasons of Black Sails will tie into Treasure Island plot points.
3436651
my girls got this book from their book club at school I don't usually read their books but some how i picked it up maybe it was the cover or maybe it was the part of saving the world, i don't really know but I couldn't put it down till i completed it. I'm no expert but just a mom but the style of writing was different to me more engaging and humerous. My girls are enjoying it together, it puts a smile on my face when I hear them giggling aloud:) I quickly research the follow up to it to find it was on back order and I don't want to put any spoliers but buying these books is going to a really good cause. Kudos to you D.K. Brantley! Hurry and write more I can't wait for the next read.
4461774
My elementary-school age daughter has really liked the Princeless books I've brought home, but I've always liked it better in concept than in execution -- until now. Although the themes are storylines are always quite commendable, I always found the art to be way too cartoonish for my taste. This book, which gives a spinoff series to a teenage pirate character from the original series, has art by Rosy Higgins that feels far more sophisticated to me. The storyline is about the pirate Raven, whose father and brothers betrayed her, leaving her stranded with a ship, but no crew or money to hire one. Some of this backstory is a little confusing if you haven't read the original series, but it's not a dealbreaker -- you won't be lost.

This first volume is all about her attempts to recruit a crew for her ship -- which involves befriending a parkourish half-elf rogue, reconnecting with an old shipmate, meeting a doughty warrior woman who's got all the right connections, and re-establishing contact with a childhood friend she betrayed. There are some great action sequences, a hilarious sequence where she's interviewing potential male crew members, a great bit in which a bunch of town guards have to be scared off a mission via "The Curse" (a great play on menstruation), and there's even an intimation of lesbianism. This latter isn't made explicit, but is pretty readily signposted for adult readers -- not sure most kids would pick up on it.

It's not totally flawless -- it's a little too prone to insider jokes (for example, cameos by people like the cabbage merchant from Avatar), or geek culture fan service (there's a whole bit about game night and RPGing). But all in all, a promising start to a spinoff series I will seek out the rest of.
4822074
As the mother of a boy who is just starting to read chapter books on his own, this book is right up his alley. I can't wait to share it with him. He really enjoys the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, and I think this falls right into the same camp with humor that is much less gross. I had no question that I would be giving it five stars.

I listened to the audio version of the book, and although the audio reader's voice wasn't my favorite, especially for Daniel, once I got used to that, I thoroughly enjoyed my time listening to the book. Henderson has won my heart with Daniel. The characters in the story were vivid and caught my attention well. I loved the mission to avoid the sister's boyfriend, and the aversion to mom's meatloaf. I laughed out loud when I got to the superhero, Super Amazing Pants (SAP), and especially his nemesis, Doctor Short Shorts. The whimsical creations in the book are fun and will spark the imaginations of the children who I imagine will enjoy this book for years to come. I hope it will be in elementary school libraries and first and second grade classrooms all around the country.

The theme of the book was lovely, too. I caught a couple of simple threads that will teach kids how to be confident about making new friends, and how to be nice to and value the ones they already have. When Daniel started to notice the slightly girly differences in the tomboyish Annie, he decided it was okay, and he still wanted to be her best friend. Annie is a real girl after all. This is adorable.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"I'm pretty sure nobody's ever been marshmallowed to death."

"Annie has a certain reputation to keep. One that involves a taste for creepy, crawly, and peanut-buttery things. If anyone besides me found out there's an actual girl hidden inside, she'd never live it down."

"I'm sure you meant to say, 'Come in, Best Mother in the World,' didn't you?"
I shrug

"It's okay, because none of us are perfect. All we can do is our best. Even if our arms are crooked or if we're missing one of our four eyes, if we're helping someone else, we're perfect."

***
This audiobook was gifted to me in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.
2748105
Maybe today it would be called a "young adult novel," but it's great adult reading, too. Set the standards for pirate lore (Captain with a peg-leg and a parrot on his shoulder!) Great to read and reread.
4776576
We just got this much anticipated book.  Luckily for us it came earlier than the release date said when we preordered.  I didn't tell the kids and when it got here, they were just so excited to see it on the counter.  One of my  teen boys who got hold of it first was the first to start reading it, but his big sister stole it from him later when he took a break.  We haven't all gotten to read it yet, but my daughter says it is excellent and she is very picky about her books.  My son is halfway through and is trading his video game time for it (they don't get much video game time; so that should tell you something). He loves Evan Angler's swipe series books and even emailed him a long time ago to find out when his next book was coming out.  He's a really nice guy and responded to my son to let him know.  We pray that his career goes far.  My son let him know that they should be made into movies and I totally agree, they would be way better than most of the "end time" movies out there.  I wish someone would take notice. Anyway, I'm just happy that my boys are wanting to read and fighting over who gets to read it first because they actually hate reading. They don't want to touch any of their sister's Sonlight books but fight over these when they come out. I feel lucky that I discovered the first of the series in a bookstore randomly. I don't want you to think these are just kid books though, my husband and I have equally loved the series and can't wait until the kids are done with it so we can get our hands on it.  Make sure you read the other two books first if you possibly can; Swipe and Sneak.
2049065
Twelve-year old Jocelyn Hook aspires to follow in the wake of her famously feared father, the worlds most notorious pirate, Capt. James Hook. Instead, her staid grandfather decrees that she will learn to become a lady, and ships her off to Miss Eliza Crumb-Biddlecomb's Finishing School for Young Ladies. There Jocelyn falls victim to snobbery, an overabundance of pink, and the terrifying threat of corsets.
The only thing that makes Jocelyns life bearable is the unexpected friendship she strikes up with Roger, the kitchen boy and general dogsbody. But when Roger is banished because of Jocelyn and she faces the prospect of society life, Jocelyn decides shes had enough and plans her escape. Then a fateful letter arrives, bringing news of her absent parent. Captain Hook has fallen victim to the dreadful Neverland Crocodile, and he charges his offspring to avenge his death if she can manage it (which he doubts).

Traveling to Neverland, Jocelyn recruits the faithful Smee to her cause, and enlists the worlds worst crew of misfit, wannabe pirates to sail with her aboard the Hooks Revenge. It will take all of Jocelyns wit, daring, and courage to navigate the treacherous Neverland watersfilled with cruel mermaids, cannibals, pirates, fairies, the Lost Boys, and (pesky and annoying Peter)and to ultimately conquer her own nightmares and vanquish both the Crocodile and the ghosts that haunt her.

J.M. Barries classic has always had a firm hold on my heart, and I picked up Hooks Revenge with both anticipation and misgiving. While I longed to reach the shores of Neverland again, I confess to a bit of trepidation at how the journey would progress under Heidi Schulzs captaincy. I neednt have worried. Ms. Schulzs homage is a rollicking sea-shanty of a tale, told by an unnamed but irascible narrator, that breathes welcome new life into the legend of the Neverland.

Laced with great high humor and leavened with a soupcon of poignancy, Ms Schulz allows the reader to view Jocelyn as a girl learning to chart her own course in the world. A compelling and colorful heroine, Hooks daughter faces mean girls, meaner mermaids, menacing marauders, and and cavorting cannibals with pluck and panache. And though Jocelyn frequently finds herself suffering defeat, her determination and sense of loyalty to her crew, her friend Roger, and ultimately her quest to avenge her father and conquer her deepest fears, have the reader firmly on her side.

Hooks Revenge will appeal to readers both young and old. The story-telling itself is reminiscent of the style of Princess Bride, which is good enough for me right there. Engaging characters, a wickedly snarky narrator, and a story-line punctuated by the ever-present tick-tock of the Crocodiles timepiece make this book un-put-downable, and leave the reader eagerly craving the next installment of the saga.