Catnapped!

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

The puppy pirate ship, the Salty Bone, is crewed by a "fearsome" bunch of pirate puppies. There is Henry, the only human boy on board. Old Salt is the oldest and wisest dog. The rest are a bunch of young pups full of mischief. There is a tenuous truce between the puppy pirates and the kitten pirates. But one day they both dock at the same port. Some of the young mischievous puppies can't help themselves. They play a prank on the kitten pirates that involve a toy catnip mouse & barrels of water. The kitten pirates are not amused. They plan their revenge. Soon Henry & three of the puppy pirates are catnapped by the kitten pirates & held prisoner on their ship the Nine Lives. How will Henry & the three pups ever escape & get back to their own ship? Luckily a batch of catnip may help them escape. 2nd & 3rd grade readers as well as struggling 4th graders will love this. The font is large and the black & white illustration peppered are throughout. The illustrations are cute & depict isolated scenes in the story. They don't necessarily enhance the understanding of the story. But they do add a touch of humor. And the target audience will love them. The only weakness here is that the cats are portrayed as villains & in a less than flattering light. Some cat lovers may take offense. Give to fans of Puppy Place series & those who love pirate stories.

Overall Book Score: good