cover image The Pirate’s Guide to Recess

The Pirate’s Guide to Recess

James Preller, illus. by Greg Ruth. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-250-00515-1

Using the same blustery pirate slang and vintage-style artwork that propelled A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade, Preller and Ruth transform a school playground into a swashbuckling adventure featuring two rival captains—Red (from the previous book) and fearsome Molly. Their respective pirate crews are again rendered in pencil, creating a ghostly effect, and their surly theatrics will pull readers through this nautical fantasy. “Don’t scowl so, sweet Red!” Molly tells Red after his crew mutinies. “We’re just having a little yo ho ho.” Preller and Ruth put kids at the helm as they communicate the joy of escaping into a world of pretend. Ages 3–6. Author’s agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. Illustrator's agent: Allen Spiegel, Allen Spiegel Fine Arts. (June)