Matthew and the Midnight Pirates Book

Matthew is back! This time he's teamed up with the silliest gang of water-fearing pirates that ever roamed the dry seas. But when they're captured by a desperate band of midnight librarians, they either have to pay their overdue fines or walk the plank. Only Matthew's quick thinking can save the day.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Fans of Matthew and his midnight adventures may recognize this story that has been adapted from a picture-book format to an easy reader. The original artwork has been reused, as has part of the text, but both are now divided into seven short chapters. The story begins with Matthew playing pirate and worrying about his overdue library book about buccaneers. When he awakes at midnight to a busload of pirates in his front yard, he embarks on a wacky trip involving a pizza delivery van, librarians, turkeys, and lawyers, as well as a city hall budget meeting to save library funding. While children will enjoy Matthew's playacting, the hodgepodge of characters and the plot that borders on the absurd may prove both confusing and a bit of a challenge to novice readers. Purchase only if the "Matthew" books are in demand.-Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.