Puppy Pirates: Catnapped! by Erin Soderberg

Ahoy mates! 
Welcome to the jolliest roger on the bookish seas...Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

 Today, we're flying our colors as we welcome the latest addition to a RUFF and tumble swashbuckling series made for the junior pirates but PURR-fectly acceptable reading for those who've sailed a few more seas.  From the start, you'll be tail over head for these adorable....I mean, swarthy crew members and picking a side is JUST that much harder.  Ready or not, we're setting a direct course for today's book of choice...

Puppy Pirates #3:  Catnapped!

by

Erin Soderberg

Illustrations by

Russ Cox

9780553511734

A Stepping Stone Book

You've heard the phrase fighting like cats and dogs...now imagine that they're pirates and you've got a slight inkling of what you're in store for.  High seas (and land) adventures await you in this tail...excuse me, tale of swashbuckling fur critters that will have you laughing, gasping, and ahh-ing in equal message.  Oh come on, it's a story about puppies and kitties!  There HAD to be a little bit of cute-overload-appreciation to go around.  Anywho, getting back to the story...

What starts out as a prank battle becomes a war when some of their own (the pups) are Catnapped by the feline pirate crew.  Retaliation?  Nope...in my opinion, it was over the top, uncalled for, despicable, and...of course, I'm pro-pup so that might be coloring things.  ^-^  Will the four-legged furies win this battle of paws and claws or will the curtailed canines find their way back to land in the end?  Only one way to find out, and it's such a FUN way indeed! 

I didn't know what to expect when I first started this book.  I mean honestly, the cover had me in stitches as I gazed into the faces of these two fur-tastic characters.  The pup looks so put off by the fact that he's captured while the cat is whooping it up in delight of his plight.  Naughty kitty!  Let that puppy go!  Once I began the story, I can see where the cats are coming from....the trick played on them is a bit on the bad side of things...but I still felt for the pups as the cats began to outnumber them, sealing their fates. 

Overall, I'd say I had a jolly good time with this one and imagine the kiddos will as well.  The creativity and imagination employed here is what really makes the story work.  It's not so far-fetched that it walks completely into the realm of fantasy thus allowing kiddos to imagine their own fur babies adventuring here and there, yet it is fantastical enough to enthrall those seeking something that will stretch their imagination muscles a bit further.  A nice balance is struck between the two story wise, while entertaining the eye with clever drawings that will delight and inspire.  Recommended read for Chapter Book fans and beyond.  This is book three of the series but that doesn't mean you have to stop (or start) there! 

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About the author...

Erin Soderberg lives in Minneapolis with her husband, three adventure-loving kids, and a mischievous goldendoodle named Wally. Before becoming an author, she was a children’s book editor, a cookie inventor, and also worked for Nickelodeon. She has written many books for young readers, including the first two books in the Puppy Pirates series, Stowaway! and X Marks the Spot, and the Quirks series. Visit her at erinsoderberg.com

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Special thanks to Cassie at Random House Children's Books for the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the series, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title just released the end of last month, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!