School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--Entering a new grade can be hard. Emma does not want to leave her pirate-themed preschool class to attend space-themed kindergarten. She does not want to abandon her beloved pirate Cap'n Chu for spaceship Cap'n Hayes. Her teachers work together to lure Emma into kindergarten -- fun space theme, good kids and great activities, a guinea pig, a reading nook-- but again and again Emma "swims back" to her pirate ship. She even rallies the new pirates into a mutiny, which peters out when naptime begins. In the end Emma is reassured that she can visit Ms. Chu who will of course miss Emma, too. Finally, a confident Space Pirate Emma joins the spaceship crew because as it turns out, "Pirates do go to kindergarten!" Using a mixture of fantasy (Emma literally swims back to preschool) and reality (Emma and Ms. Chu hugging goodbye), Kaban's illustrations perfectly capture Emma's defiance, sadness, and acceptance with sincerity and humor. Robinson's fun-to-read text is chock-full of pirate lingo and heart. This dynamic text uses various fonts, locations, and colors to mesh with the illustrations. Warning: The super cool pirate and space-themed classrooms may make both children and adults wish they could attend this school. VERDICT A fun and raucous ride with great pirate lingo that reminds readers that change isn't bad, but it can be challenging.--Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH
Publisher's Weekly Review
Emma, the heroine of Robinson's debut, is first spied eagerly packing up her cutlass, spyglass, and treasure map on the first day of kindergarten, but she is soon navigating rocky waters. With a hearty "Ahoy," she confidently reports to her former preschool classroom, helmed by "Cap'n Chu" and decked out in a pirate theme. The captain gently steers the girl to "her new ship"--the kindergarten classroom, which features a space motif. Headstrong Emma is reluctant to drop her pirate persona and parlance as well as accept her new teacher; she twice "swims" back to Cap'n Chu before the adults persuade her to make the spaceship her new vessel, and Emma at long last embraces her new identity: "space pirate." Kaban (Pink Is for Boys) contributes vigorous digital cartoons that boldly reinforce Emma's bravado while hinting at her apprehension. A lively, if drawn-out, tale about a pivotal childhood transition. Ages 3--7. (Aug.)