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How to Become a Pirate Hunter

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Not everyone is special. Or at least that's what Eric believes. But when the new girl Charlotte tells him he's a natural at hunting pirates, and offers to prove it, Eric can't resist the adventure. Thrown in the middle of the Spanish Main, Eric must quickly accept his skills, or else succumb to the horrors of the dreaded Willard Pirate Twins.

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2017

8 people are currently reading
324 people want to read

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Marty Reeder

3 books53 followers

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5 stars
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17 (37%)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Katie (hiding in the pages).
3,523 reviews332 followers
March 24, 2017
Sometimes I feel just as Eric does--I don't have any special talents. I have a few interests and hobbies, but I don't excel at any of them--I'm just mediocre. I love the idea that everyone has a natural talent and that it might not be something that is consistent to the time period you live in. When Charlotte, a new girl at school, tells Eric that he's born to be a pirate hunter, he almost scoffs. But when he's thrown back in a time where he has to fight off twin pirates, his true talents emerge.

This swashbuckling tale is full of adventure, danger, pirates, and more, which is entertaining. My imagination was sparked and I found myself wondering what my talent would be--I'm so curious!

I love the creative names of the towns and camp, as I grew up near the area that I believe the author is talking about and I could really visualize the setting well. Well...until Eric became a pirate. I could still picture it in my mind, but I haven't been on a ship like that before. However, the descriptions really are fun. They make me *almost* want to try my hand at pirate hunting.

Content: mild violence

*I received a copy through the publisher, which did not affect my thoughts and opinions in any way.*
Profile Image for Sydney.
1,083 reviews132 followers
April 17, 2018
How to Become a Pirate Hunter by Marty Reeder is a fun pirate adventure novel that middle graders will thoroughly enjoy. It’s about a young boy that feels like he isn’t good at anything. But then he’s thrown into a situation where his skills are exactly what is needed and he must come to terms with that. This story is about going on an adventure and coming to know oneself. Middle grade readers will not want to miss this enjoyable pirate voyage that will bring their imagination’s to life!

Genre: children’s, middle grade, young adult, adventure, pirates
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Publication date: March 1, 2017
Number of pages: 208

A review copy of this book was provided by Cedar Fort. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Heidi.
430 reviews8 followers
June 30, 2019
My son read this book quite awhile ago and loved it. I finally got to it and enjoyed it also. I really liked Charlotte and Eric and loved seeing Eric evolve and learn to value himself. Good lessons, good characters and a fun read.
Profile Image for Wendee Radmall.
151 reviews
January 14, 2019
If you want assurance that you were born for greatness, this book is for you. In an engaging, surprising adventure, Marty Reeder offers a glimpse at how an ordinary life could be extraordinary when given the chance to use natural born skills.

The main character, Eric, as a natural born pirate hunter, is given the chance to hone his skills in a real pirate chase, albeit he has to time travel first. Complete with battle strategy, engaging dialogue, hand-to-hand combat, and ship-sailing details, this telling is fit for a read-a-loud.

I highly recommend this book for kids of all ages, as well as for parents. This story could spark some great conversations about individual in-born talents and how we are each equipped to accomplish our own great mission in life.

4 reviews
March 2, 2019
This book is a fairly quick read (maybe two afternoons' worth), but it is a very well written and exciting book. The story follows Eric Francis, a teenager who feels useless and mediocre until he meets Charlotte, a new student that tells him that everyone has a natural-born ability, or something that they were born to do. When Charlotte, a natural-born "seer", tells Eric that he is a natural-born pirate hunter, Eric agrees to let Charlotte help him time travel to when he is needed most. They find themselves near the town of Port Raleigh, a trading port under siege by pirates. Through a series of close escapes and strategic battles, Eric defeats the pirates that attacked the port. He and Charlotte return home and Eric has a sense of purpose and a newfound appreciation for life. Overall this is a very good book and I really hope that this becomes a series.
Profile Image for Becky S..
1,424 reviews8 followers
January 27, 2018
I loved this pirate book! If you could reach your natural born potential with a special ability and have that trickle into what you do in all parts of your life, would you want to? Well, hec yes even if it is being a pirate hunter! Two kids go on a wild adventure and come to find so much about themselves. Lots of sailing stuff and strategies but even girls would like this book.
1 review
January 9, 2019
Fantastic, funny, left me wanting more.

Wonderfully written. It kept me wanting to read more and more. The characters have massive amount of growth and depth through out the book. By the end you feel that you have been fighting along side them and they are your friends. Loved the book.
Profile Image for Natalie {I'd So Rather Be Reading}.
132 reviews12 followers
March 15, 2017
Reviewed by teen reviewer Maryn HERE

I have never been particularly interested in anything that has to do with pirates, but I hoped that this book would be the exception. I was really excited about this one because it mentioned time travel and adventure. In the beginning I was hooked. Right away, you find out that one of the main characters has the ability to see what a person is born to be, their destiny. But then the story took a bit of a turn.

If you are interested in pirates, I assume that your opinion about these parts of the story will differ from mine. I can't believe I'm saying it, but there was too much detail! The characters would go on and on explaining different routes and maps for far too long, making the story unnecessarily confusing. I found myself re-reading entire pages just to try and process all of the routes. I feel these parts of the story would fail to capture the attention of young readers because it's just too much information and kind of boring (unless you love pirate lore).

Although there were low points in the plot, there were still a lot of adventure and twists. This book had me on the edge of my seat several times and it wasn't predictable. Just when I thought the conflict was resolved, something else would happen and change everything. I'm certain that this book will be a hit for middle grade pirate lovers.
Profile Image for Jessica.
41 reviews1 follower
May 12, 2017
The premise was interesting and the main character, Eric, was very relatable. However, the level conflict could have been increased. I don't think we've seen Eric pushed past his limits yet.
Profile Image for Julie.
199 reviews3 followers
May 18, 2017
Interesting concept. Had a hard time getting through it. Must have been my mood.
83 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2020
This was a great book to get into, especially if you're a boy who likes pirates.
Profile Image for Michelle.
626 reviews
March 10, 2017
A really fun read, this would be a great book for pre-teen boys, lots of action and adventure, plus time travel and a relatable average kid. Cute story! My husband and I both enjoyed this one a lot.
Profile Image for Jan.
77 reviews2 followers
September 2, 2015
Supplied by Lighthouse PR for an honest review

My first reaction when I began looking at this book was along the lines of… “It’s a vegan cookbook that goes with a TV programme I’ve never heard of.” Then I looked a bit further and did some research. Turns out that the writer is a New Zealander who used to work for Sanitarium (the Weetbix people) and then when on to run Revive Cafes in Auckland.

He’s now doing a TV show for a US channel called 3ABN which represents the Seventh Day Adventist Church who, not coincidentally, own Sanitarium. They are religiously keen on a healthy lifestyle and were one of the first Western groups to advocate vegetarianism, long before New Ageism was the new thing.

For what it’s worth, independent university studies of Adventists show their healthy lifestyle actually works in terms of decreased risk of a whole bunch of diseases and in increased longevity.
So, there’s little doubt that cooking from this book would be good for you. Unless, of course, you happen to be allergic to soya or nuts, because both make frequent appearances.

The book is notably well laid-out with 26 chapters, each corresponding to an episode of the TV show. Therein are recipes for a number of dishes to be prepared within thirty minutes, comprising a menu for one meal, usually dinner. Usefully, there is a timing schedule and a list of what you need to have organized at the beginning of the chapter.

Temperatures are given in metric and imperial, volumes mostly in cups (given the relatively few recipes involving actual baking, this should not be a problem). In terms of content, the book tends to repeat itself, having at least three tofu curries, and a pear cashew cream that appears in two menus.

That said, if you are going vegan, or require a gluten-free or dairy-free diet due to food intolerance, I think you would find this book uncommonly useful. I plan to share the chickpea pizza base with my gluten-free friend, and some of the dairy alternatives with the lady who is lactose intolerant. Still not sure how many of these recipes I’ll be trying myself, but you never know.

1 review
March 16, 2019
Great Recipes

I have not been able to cook any of the meals in 30 minutes but still great flavoured wholesome food.
Profile Image for Meagan Myhren-Bennett.
Author 29 books162 followers
March 27, 2017
How to Become a Pirate Hunter
By Marty Reeder

Eric Francis just isn't good at anything and he has no idea what he wants to do with his life. And as a sophomore, he should have some inkling, at least his high school counselor seems to think he should. But when he meets Charlotte Reeves the newest student in his high school he's about discover who he was meant to be. There's just one problem he's in the wrong time and the wrong place.

According to Charlotte, Eric was born to be a pirate hunter and she's about to give him the chance of a lifetime to prove it. All it takes is a little trip back through time, which could be problematic as time travel has yet to be discovered. Luckily for Eric, he knows Charlotte - let the pirate hunting commence!

Eric's natural skills on the water seemingly prove Charlotte's assertions about him true. But can Eric's natural abilities as a pirate hunter be enough to stop the dreaded Willard Pirate Twins who are terrorizing the shipping lanes into and out of Port Raleigh? And how can a teenage boy who doesn't even have a driver's license out think and outmaneuver pirates who have years of experience pillaging and plundering?

If your looking for some adventure that will thrill your tween and teen readers look no further. This is an exciting read that adds a touch of fantasy to give the story an added touch of something special. This would also make for a fun family read-together book and at 199 pages not too long. Sit back and let the adventure begin with the first page.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review ~ all expressed opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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