A Pirate’s Twelve Days of Christmas

The crew from A Pirate’s Night Before Christmas sails through another Christmas-tide romp. A cabin boy is banished to swab the decks while his Scrooge-like cap’n (“Arrrgh-humbug!”) and mateys set off to “plunder wrecks.” But the boy’s dreams of “jolly ol’ Sir Peggedy” delivering doubloons are interrupted by the arrival of a parrot in a palm tree and other pirate booty, including five chests of gold and nine mermaids singin’. Finally “12 pirates cheerin’ ” let readers in on their secret (they sent the gifts). Serra’s digitally colored pen-and-ink compositions are filled with swashbuckling action and create a rollicking holiday mood. Ages 3–6. Agent: Quinlan Lee, Adams Literary. (Oct.)