Captain Sparky and the Pool Pirates

Fun, hilarious, and eventful, I loved reading Captain Sparky and the Pool Pirates by T.E. Antonio. It is told from the perspective of spunky fourth-grader Sparky, who loves spending time at the pool, especially with her pet turtle Morris. While playing in the water, her mom reminds her that she needs to write a story for English class tomorrow; rebellious, Sparky responds that there is nothing to write about – every story that can be written has been written. With a sigh, her mom walks to the locker room, telling Sparky she needs to have a story like all her classmates, providing suggestions on what she can write.

Sparky, not buying her mom’s ideas, pulls a coin from her swimsuit pocket with a wish that she can come up with a story. Plopping down into the water, suddenly it begins to rumble, and the north wind begins to blow. Before she knows it, standing in front of her are pirates Gobble, Bobble, and Wobble, popping out of the pool drain, ready to fuss at Sparky for not coming up with a story. Upon listening to their chatter, the two strike a deal – Sparky will teach them to become nice pirates, and the pirates will teach her about pirate life, the perfect story for Sparky to recall for her English homework.

Animated, lively, and full of chatter, Gobble, Bobble, and Wobble are a delight to read about. Conveying their pirate life full of fun and excitement, they teach Sparky about the scary sea hippopotamus, the importance of a pirate’s flag, and the sleep all day, party all night approach to pirate life. In return, Sparky teaches them how to share, say kind words, and be better friends to each other and everyone else around them. Not to mention, the pirates whisk Sparky away from the pool drain for an adventure on the sea, sailing to elsewhere, nowhere, anywhere, and somewhere – all places worth visiting, as long as you avoid Jerky Turkey Island, according to Gobble, Wobble, and Bobble.

A story of excitement, imagination, and amusement, I thought Antonino did an excellent job. Children around Sparky’s age (second to fifth grade) would love to read this novel and all about Gobble, Wobble, and Bobble’s pirate adventures with Sparky. I thought the story was well-constructed, thought-out, and flowed perfectly with the interplay of Sparky recalling the story to her classmates while also traveling across the seas. Finally, I loved the creativity and freshness of this children’s novel, a unique plot, with a sound theme of friendship and the importance of kindness, I would recommend this book to all young readers who enjoy adventure stories and pirates.