Stowaway!

Puppy Pirates #1

by Erin Soderberg Downing

Ahoy, mateys! Set sail for fun and adventure on a pirate ship full of puppies!
 
Wally is a pup with a nose for adventure. So when he stumbles onto a ragtag group of puppies who sail the seven seas, he knows he has to join the fun! But if pirates are supposed to be gruff and tough, this furry little guy isn’t exactly first-mate material.  Does he have what it takes to become a full-fledged puppy pirate?

Two perennial kid favorites—dogs and pirates—combine in this new chapter-book series perfect for fans of the Rainbow Magic series and all things piratey!

Genres: Chapter Books, Childrens, Dogs, Fiction, Pirates, Animals, Fantasy

96 pages, Paperback

Published July 7, 2015

About the author

I read and write lots of funny, adventurous, & heartwarming books for kids about finding your place, finding your people, and finding your voice. I always love book recommendations, so please send them my way. As a reader, I'm partial to contemporary romantic comedy, thrillers that keep the pages turning and have well-built characters, funny/original voices, quirky characters, and always kids' books with humor and heart.

Reviews

[Victor]

Great winter break read!

[Patrycja]

Book about puppies and pirates and a little human boy. Just a short, fun chapter book for young readers.

[Azra's Book Corner]

amazing story

[Melanie Dulaney]

Solid chapter book for kindergarten-second or third graders to have read to them or read on their own. Farm puppy Wally is looking for adventure and thinks that joining a ship full of canine pirates is the answer. After striking up a friendship with a boy named Henry, the two decide to stowaway on the puppy pirate ship and not reveal themselves until they are too far from shore to turn back. Of course they are discovered and the cranky captain tells Wally that if he can pass the three tests, he and Henry can stay. What follows is series of tasks such as helping in the galley with the night’s dinner and climbing up a rope to the crow’s nest to stand watch. Interesting twists occur with each of those tasks but the chapter the swabbing of the deck was hilarious and young readers will absolutely love it. Even caregivers may let out a few chuckles. Author Erin Downing keeps her pirates more entertaining than evil and when a kitty pirate ship threatens, the problem is solved with a riddle and a soaking rather than swords and cannonballs. Some parents may object to the name-calling that goes back and forth between the opposing pirate crews but the terms used do not point out body styles or fur color, rather a call of “Hey, kitty litter” and terms like fur ball and scurvy dogs. Black and white sketches are fairly frequent and augment the story line well. Libraries needing additional series for budding readers should consider this one.

[Brent Ecenbarger]

So, parenthood has come to this. Reading a book about Puppy Pirates. My boys (3 and 5) are really into pirates at the moment, and they love their dog, so they were excited enough to pick this one up. It's about a Labrador and a human who stowaway on a dog pirate ship in hopes of joining the crew. Besides them, there are a few other characters, two pugs name Puggsly and Piggly, an old pirate named Old Salt and a Captain who doesn't seem to know what's going on.

This was a short read, with nice pictures in every chapter and only ten chapters all together. I liked the art a lot. Unfortunately, the story took a long time to grap us. After five chapters, my oldest asked if we could read something else, but we stuck with it and he ended up liking it more in the end. There's a climactic battle against a ship full of cat pirates at the end, and a few scenes about walking the plank that our kids also enjoyed. Still, the story didn't get entertaining until halfway through the book and that's asking a lot for kids to sit through and care about what's going on.

[Jagir Singh]

Nice

[Dawn Teresa]

Super cute adventure story and series opener sprinkled with engaging illustrations!

[Brandi Fox]

My 4year old picked it out and he loved it. For what it is, it’s a fine one. But it’s not a book I would ever choose for myself (unlike “How to Tame Your Dragon”)

[Rena]

My daughter loved it.

[Katie]

Super cute read for young fans of pirates, puppies, or both!

[Steve]

My kid, age 5, chose this for his free book from the summer library program. My wife tried to deter him to no avail. It was as ruff (misspelling for pun's sake) as expected.

[Frannie Cammarota]

Puppy Pirates is a children’s book series and the book Stowaway is the first book in the series. The book begins with a puppy named Wally that is a golden retriever that just found the pirate ship. When he finds the ship he also meets two pugs, Piggly and Puggly who repeatedly tell this little pup Wally that he won’t make it as a pirate and should just walk away. When he meets one of the captions he also agrees with the two pugs and tells him to scurry and that he won’t be able to make it he is to soft and little. Wally wasn’t about to take that as his answer and snuck into one of the crates that was going on to the ship. When he was under the ship in the crates he heard another noise, as scared as he was he new pirates are supposed to be brave and strong so he kept his cool and figured out that it was just a nice young boy Henry who was soon to become his best friend on the shift.
As the boys became closer friends under the ship they began to hear noises above them, someone was coming. This someone was two other puppies one being the caption looking for some of the missing food as they kept getting closer Henry and Wally decided to split and make a run for it. As they ran throughout the cabins they were caught. Once all of the puppies found them they decided that he was able to stay but he was going to have to pass a couple of task. He and Henry decided that they were going to be a team and complete them together. They had to go to three of the main people on the ship and do whatever they told them to do and if something came upon them that they did wrong but somehow they were able to skew it to look at it as it was something good instead. After all three of the task were completed all of the sudden they saw a ship of cats coming their way and Wally and Henry with the small amount of training they have had knew exactly what they needed to do to help win the battle. After the caption looked at Wally and told him to get to the plank and walk it… what do you think happened from their do you think that the caption make him walk it?

Fiver Higher-Level thinking questions:
1. Forget the three task that the Caption made Wally and Henry do, pretend you were the caption what task would you make them do on the ship to show you they could be a part of this crew? Write a plan of the three task and the order you would do it in.
2. Have a five question quiz that talks about five questions with this book.
3. Set the events that happened in a timeline
4. After you have the timeline set up you would be asked to create a poster that you can check for understand the time line and the events of the timeline with what they look like to them in the pictures.
5. Choose one character you would find most like yourself and compare and contrast the attributes of one and other.

Soderberg, E. (2015). Puppy pirates. New York, NY: Scholastic.

[Emarie]

I love it so much.

[Sharon Tyler]

Puppy Pirates: Stowaway is a children’s chapter book by Erin Soderberg. Wally is a pup with a nose for adventure. So when he stumbles onto a ragtag group of puppies who sail the seven seas, he knows he has to join the fun! But if pirates are supposed to be gruff and tough, this furry little guy isn’t exactly first-mate material. Does he have what it takes to become a full-fledged puppy pirate?

Stowaway is the first book in the Puppy Pirate series, and it sets up a series of pirate adventures for one ship of puppies, and a human boy. Wally wants adventure, he wants to be a puppy pirate. When he and a human boy stowaway on a puppy pirate ship they have to prove their worth of they will have to walk the plank. They show that being quick witted and kinder than any proper pirate should be holds more value than the other puppies might expect. A fun story full of fun, friendship, and determined cuteness.

Stowaway is a easy chapter book that just might capture the attention of many young readers. Puppies, pirates, and adventure- three things most young readers love. The story is a cute read, and will appeal to many fans of similar series. I did not think it was outstanding, but I certainly think it will get some children hooked and reading which is what is important.

[Heidi]

Wally, a golden retriever pup, left the farm in order to find a place to call home. When he encounters a crew of puppy pirates he is determined to join them. The problem is that he is afraid of a lot of things and the pirate crew isn't exactly welcoming. So, Wally stows away in a crate of steak. While in hiding he runs into another stowaway, a young boy named Henry. Together the two must face the plank and pass the tests the captain puts before them in order to become part of the crew. First, I have to say that the cover is absolutely adorable with the puppy in the pirate hat. Secondly, the story moves quickly and pleasingly. Wally is a fun character that puppy-loving readers will want to cheer for, especially as he faces the challenges put before him. The other characters are just as charming, from the pug twins, Puggly and Piggly, who love to pull pranks, to Captain Red Beard, who'd forget his hat if it wasn't on his head to the rascally Chihuahua cook, Steak-eye, who only cooks nasty tasting stew (at least until Wally gets involved). For young readers who like pirate stories and puppy stories this series is a surefire winner.

[Kathryn]

I received this as an e-book ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I had planned to read this to my 5 year old, but he didn't show much interest, either it was because it was in an e-book format or possibly because there were not many pictures. Maybe in a year or two, he'll be more interested in this type of book. The story itself was fine. Dogs who were pirates and a puppy, who wanted to be a pirate and feel like he belonged. Although, they 1st laughed at this little puppy who strived to be a pirate, they allowed him to undergo a series of tests to see if he would pass muster. This is the first book in a series and I feel 2nd or 3rd graders would enjoy this as they are improving their reading skills

[Aubrey]

I was given this title to review by NetGalley.
The story was read by myself and my 3rd grader. The story idea of a puppy pirate was appealing, and the main character was likeable. There were a few things that bothered us: in Chapter 1 and 6, there were times when we were so confused what was happening that we had to re-read, which is especially problematic in a children's story. Also, talking dogs are great in a story, but when the human starts talking to them there wasn't any explanation as to how that could be and that felt forced. My 3rd grader's review is that there was too much being mean to the main character, though the ending was good.

[Rachel]

Kinda charming read. The idea was fun (puppies as pirates) but it ran a little slow and there were spots that just went too quickly from one thing to the next, like it was rushing to get to the next scene. But, the battle was fun and showed how using your creativity and ingenuity was good as well as facing your fears even when you are afraid. Not sure how I would feel about letting my nephews or niece read this, though, because it had trickery and rule breaking to be a good and positive thing, especially for a pirate. I don't really want to hand them something that supports in misbehavior.

[Martha]

Wally a lonely, homeless puppy, wanders along the docks until he meets two tough Puppy Pirates, Puggly and Piggly. Fascinated when he finds out they are pirates, he sneaks aboard their ship. With the help of another stowaway he meets while hiding, Henry a human, they attempt to remain stowaways, as they join the pirate adventurers. Unfortunately they are found and Wally finds himself in true danger. This whimsical puppy adventure with humorous black and white illustrations is just right for young chapter book readers ready for a fun animal tale.

[Margaret]

This inventiveness can be seen daily in our canine companions. It is a survival technique as well as a source for the joy they make in their lives. Puppy Pirates: Stowaway! (A Stepping Stone Book, Random House, July 7, 2015) written by Erin Soderberg with illustrations by Russ Cox highlights the ingenuity of a youngster seeking exciting escapades.


My full review: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Dawn]

So weird. The cover make it look like adorable dogs who are also pirates, but the book is some weird fantasyland where the dogs all wear clothes and talk but then also sometimes behave like dogs too? Also there is a kid in it, which I always find confusing. Why are people and animals coexisting and all wearing clothes and talking to each other?

Mostly, I’m really annoyed that the cover art doesn’t match the story or the illustrations inside.

[Angie]

My Review: While looking for pirate books, I came across this one and thought it would be a great book to read with Munchkin. This was a cute and fun book, perfect for boys or girls who are just starting to read chapter books. There are some illustrations, and really quirky characters. Kids get to learn along with Wally what adventure is like and how to make new friends. Munchkin loved this story and especially the funny bits, there are plenty of those to get you laughing out loud.

[Debra]

Puppy Pirates - the title says it all. Kids who love animals as characters, especially dogs will love this book. It's the first in a series and is a perfect early chapter book for transitional readers. It has black and white pictures and is less than 100 pages. I already have the second book and will be adding it to my third grade classroom library.

[Michele Knott]

I so appreciate Erin Soderberg. She is a joy to talk to, but to see her interact with children is wonderful. She knows her audience. And as a result, she writes books that kids WANT to read. This new series is a welcome addition to classrooms and libraries everywhere because you'll never see them. They will always be in the hands of readers.

[Lisa Singleterry]

My daughter wanted me to read this outloud to her for her night time reading time. Now, granted, this is intended to be read by little kids not moms. BUT this was the silliest book I've ever read. It didn't make sense, there was really nothing to it. I feel like kids books can still teach something or have a point...this one just didn't.

[Robbi C]

There were some exciting moments and it's always fun to read pirate voices. However, my 6 year old once told me she was bored. But, I wouldn't take her word for it...she also wanted the cats to win. ;) Lol. As mom, my opinion is that it was good and cute but since it didn't hold her interest, we're moving on to another series.

[Nicola]

Didn't appeal to Miss 4. We got about 30% through before she completely lost interest and asked for the next book on her stack.

Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Elle]

Perfect for fans of Puppy Place who want more adventure! Wally, a golden retriever puppy, wants to be a pirate but is he cut out for it? A good story about friendship and working hard toward goals follows.

[Ali]

Wally and his friend Henry are stowaways on the puppy pirate ship. When they show themselves, the pirates tell Wally he has to past tests to be a pirate with them. Will he pass the tests? read this book to find out!
I really like this book. You should read it. This book is a great book.

[Xander Kennedy]

Well, I will say that I appreciated that the puppy showed some cleverness in passing his "tests." Keeley has asked us to read this aloud to her multiple times now, so I must work well for a five-year-old.