Pirates in Class 3

PreS-Gr 1–The opening spread of this picture book depicts an unlikely scenario: a preschool teacher leaving her class unattended to run completely amok. Soon, a guest taps on the window of the classroom with his hook, declaring “Ahoy mateys, I’m Captain Calamity and I’m searching for treasure!” He enlists the children on his quest to find the loot before his nemesis “Pirate Bloodloss” discovers it. They upend their classroom searching for clues only to find a secret door to an ocean world under the letter “C” on the alphabet wall. When Ms. Bitsy returns, she insists on coming along, and they work together to bring their booty back to the classroom, where a bonus surprise is found under the letter “X.” The book ends not with the students celebrating their imaginary triumph but with Captain Calamity and Ms. Bitsy looking moonily at each other, seeming to have found love. Though the book has a fun premise and could have showcased preschoolers’ problem-solving skills and played on many more hilarious similarities between a raucous pirate crew and a group of four-year-olds, this tale doesn’t quite pull it off.