How to Become a Pirate (continued)

Blah Blah Blah: Stories About Clams, Swamp Monsters, Pirates and Dogs
Ages: 8 & Up
Round River Records, $15.00

In these stories, Harley conjures up worlds of Pirates, Giant Clams, Dogs and Dirty Sneakers. The stories are funny; sometimes they’re hands-on-face with fingers spread, spooky-scary-story frightening. His characters come straight from the memories of your fourth grade class and his spot-on delivery is confirmation that Bill Harley really and truly honest to goodness cross your heart knows what makes kids laugh.

The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story
Ages: 8 & Up
Author: Sid Fleischman Illustrator: Peter Sis
HarperCollins Children's Books / Amistad, $15.00 (Hardcover)

Orphaned, Buddy Stebbins and his sister Liz have only each other until the night Liz doesn't return home. Buddy hears a strange message on the answering machine urging Liz to come to the 13th floor of an old downtown building. Trying to locate the place, he finds himself delivered to a 17th century pirate ship. Filled with appealing pirates, unappealing preachers, buried treasure, this is a time-warp adventure that leaves open the question of who exactly are the ghosts in the story.

The Pirate's Son
Ages: 9 - 12 yrs.
Author: Geraldine McCaughrean
Scholastic Inc./Scholastic Press, $16.95 (Hardcover)

Tamo, the pirate's son, takes fellow orphans Maude and Nathan to his home in Madagascar. Maude loves the colorful island with its superstitions, exotic animals, and friendly natives but Nathan is homesick for England. Dangers the children face include sharks, storms, and plundering pirates. The lyrical language evokes vivid images of Madagascar. This adventure story contains subtle humor and it packed with twists and turns.

Pirate Ship Park
Ages: 9 & Up
K'NEX Industries, Inc., $49.99

Ahoy! Yer maties looking for a thrill? Landlubbers be warned - this Pirate Ship Park is only for me hearties. This building set is for those kids willing to take on the challenge of creating a thrilling two foot tall, motorized, electronic screamin' ride. And you can build at least two other thrill rides with this one set. Comes with four thrill seeker figures. Product Description

Building Cards™ How to Build Pirate Ships
Ages: 10 & Up
Klutz, $12.95

How refreshing to see a pirate-theme activity that doesn't involve marauding! Sturdy cards are scored and slotted to snap apart into 226 building cards in seven shapes. Step-by-step illustrations show how to build a quite complex-looking ship from deck to hull, including rudder, mast and sails. Each of the 48 steps is accompanied by pictures of the cards needed for that step, exploded view of the assembly, picture of the completed assembly, and the assembly finally attached to the boat. A pirate figure is also included. The instruction book ends with pictures of other ships that can be built with the same cards. Kids are encouraged to take apart the ship they have just built because “the best pirate ship you ever make will be one you design and build on your own.”