ARRR! Pirate Week Sails On!

Everyone was counting on me. But no matter how I pushed or pulled, I couldn't get the knot to budge.

"Shiver me timbers, what's taking so long! Can't ye rats just chew through the rope?" Rotten Tooth growled.

Inna held her stomach and gagged. "Yuck! That slimy rope probably tastes even worse than sea slugs."

Vicky made a grumpy face. "Well it probably tastes better than icky sicky fish eggs," she huffed.

Aaron interrupted their bickering. He leaned in between them and rolled his eyes at Rotten Tooth. "Arrr! We wouldn't have to chew it if Rotten Head let us have swords," he said.  Pirate School #3: Attack on the High Seas page 54

There's more to learn about being a pirate than just mastering their speech. Ye must be fluent in their piratey ways as well. That's what Pete and his friends are doing at Pirate School, becoming shipshape shipmates. 

Several pirate rules are demonstrated in the above passage. 

1. Pirate kids never ever get real swords...especially hyper jumpy pirate kids like Aaron. And by their nature, most pirate kids are a little more hyper-active than the average half-pint. Sharp objects...not a good idea.

2. It's never recommended to refer to yer fearsome, green-bearded Pirate teacher by an insult (Rotten Tooth will not take lightly to being called Rotten Head, that's just unacceptable). There is always a penalty to pay. That penalty most likely involves swabbing decks or washing dishes.

3. And this is a biggy...There is absolutely nothing as nasty stinking, foul-tasting, and utterly belly squirming, or squirmy in belly as Sea Slugs. Be it Sea Slug Cereal, Sea Slug Cookies, or Sea Slug Slop. As you can tell from Jennifer's perfect illustration, Inna (the cleanest pirate on the sea) hates them more than anyone. 

If there's one thing that kids find frustrating, be it real kids or pirate kids, is following soooo many rules. But another thing that's for sure is that no matter what they are learning, rules won't ever get in the way of fun and adventure. I've always believed that learning should never be so strict. There needs to be freedom in the process and that's one of the ideas that I hope these books incorporate.