Pirates & Privateers: Jessica Green's Books

After Peg-leg puts a mouse in the captain’s soup, he and Scratch find themselves floating at sea in a dinghy. Being rescued by pirates doesn’t sit well with Scratch, for the ship isn’t shipshape or tidy, but as long as they work, they can stay aboard. A culinary genius, Peg-leg replaces the current cook. Being a kitten, Scratch decides he’s best suited to catch mice. That doesn’t please the pirate captain because mice remind him of his sweetheart back home.

The job Scratch really wants is the one Squawk, the pirate’s parrot, has: sitting on the captain’s shoulder. How difficult can that be? Plus, Squawk doesn’t really want that job, so Scratch suggests to the parrot that he’s really a seagull. When that doesn’t work, perhaps Squawk is a carrot. Only Scratch’s quick thinking diverts disaster, saving Squawk from becoming part of the evening stew. Perhaps he should make a secret nest and find a girlfriend, which is perfect – well almost. Once again Scratch comes to Squawk’s rescue, but will it earn him a place on the captain’s shoulder? Is that really where Scratch wants to be?

This chapter book is a hilarious series of mishaps that engage the reader. The pirates are a motley crew, and the captain’s dependence on Squawk, the parrot’s reluctance at his perch, and Scratch’s determination to take his place make for some head-shaking, riotous capers that leave young pirates in training wondering what will happen next. The final outcome isn’t at all what is expected. Vane’s black-&-white drawings help bring the characters to life and perfectly depict the comedy of errors that make up this pirate tale.

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