School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-Marlon is expecting a boring summer at the cabin her parents have rented for the season-no friends, no adventures, and no fun. That is, until she checks out the last cabin on the lake where she meets three very raffish old salts, proprietors of Camp Buccaneer ("Learn to be a card-carrying pirate in just three weeks"). Instructed by Peg Leg, Shark Bait, and William, Marlon spends her vacation practicing pirate skills-boarding enemy ships, sailing, swabbing decks, and, occasionally, walking the plank-suitably equipped with a lifejacket, of course. In the process, she acquires the self-confidence she needs to face up to the school bully when she gets home. There is plenty of swaggering pirate lingo and lots of seagoing tall tales. Amusing black-and-white cartoons add to the fun. A lightweight, lighthearted transition book for readers ready for a chapter book.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Faced with spending her vacation at a lake cabin with her preoccupied parents, Marlon signs up for pirate camp. Three scruffy pirates show Marlon--the sole camper--the ropes, including climbing the rigging and walking the plank (with a life vest, of course). Though the reformation of a class bully and of Marlon's parents are both too abrupt, the lighthearted telling will amuse readers. Spirited black-and-white drawings accompany the text. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Just because new readers will read just about anything they can decode, doesn't mean they should have to. This newest offering in Aladdin's Ready-for-Chapters has many of the hallmarks of a successful tale for new readers: comical storyline and wacky illustrations, generous font, brief chapters, and a heroine who stands up to a bully. Unfortunately, there's not much to the story. Marlon is on vacation where she hears about a camp for pirates. Her distracted mother signs her up and, through some mildly humorous situations, Marlon learns to be a pirate. When she returns to school, no one believes her pirate camp stories until Peg Leg and Shark Bait see her distress flag, show up, and vouch for her. Though the illustrations are amusing and exaggerated, the story is simply flat. The attempts at pirate dialogue are confusing. "We'll save that for tomorrow. But today ye're swinging over to that there boat. 'Carz sometimes ye'll have to board another ship and do battle.' " Huh? One can almost hear the pitter-patter of second-grade feet up to the teacher for an interpretation of that. Readers who are making the transition to chapter books and who like funny stories might find the work of Pinkwater, Pilkey, and Scieszka more captivating. (Fiction. 7-9) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 2-4. In this easy chapter book, Marlon is faced with a boring summer on the lake with Dad, who is perpetually sacked out on the couch, and Mom, who always seems buried in romance novels. A trip around the lake, however, leads her to discover Camp Buccaneer, a summer camp run by real pirates. Marlon signs up (she discovers she's the only camper) and learns to sail the ship, sing pirate songs, and climb to the crow's nest. Of course, when she returns to school and writes about her summer vacation, no one believes her--until the pirates appear. The situation is novel and fun, though the humor and appeal come less from the slight story than from Tom Lichtenheld's funny and energetic drawings. For those young readers ready to move into novels, this is a featherlight way to make the leap, with lots of pirate talk thrown in. Todd Morning.