Review by Booklist Review
The spirited sequel to Rufus Goes to School (2013) shows just how far a piglet with persistence can go. School is out for the summer, and Rufus Leroy Williams III is at loose ends until his favorite book, The Pirates, gives him a solution: he will join a pirate crew The Ahab-like Captain Wibblyshins has a clutch of reasons pigs can't be pirates (they play on the poop deck and scribble on the treasure maps), but Rufus keeps coming back with new gear an eye patch, a pirate hat, a potato peeler to show his pirate potential. When the captain finally learns that Rufus can read the treasure map that he has been puzzling over, Rufus becomes a readin' pirate and leads the crew to buried treasure. The watercolor-and-ink illustrations wonderfully convey this whimsical world and are filled with comic details. A tale of perseverance, and a marvelous paean to the joy and power of reading. Children will also want to read Doreen Cronin's Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (2000).--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-The adorable pig from Rufus Goes to School (2013, Sterling) is back. It's summer vacation, and Rufus wants nothing more than to be a pirate over the break. Unfortunately, much like the principal at Rufus's school, the pirate captain must be taught to overlook preconceived notions of what having a pig in his midst entails. After being denied cleaning and cooking positions, Rufus hits on what the pirate ship truly needs: a literate pirate. What a coincidence! The little pig with a pirate book in his backpack is a perfect fit. Rufus helps the pirates read their treasure map, teaches them their letters, and helps them enjoy their ultimate treasure: a chest of books. The story and artwork are wonderfully matched. The writing is simple and repetitive enough to appeal to the preschool crowd while still including pirate speak and pirate terms for lower elementary readers. The ink and watercolor illustrations are warm and friendly (no scary pirates here) yet also include some clever prediction-making clues. VERDICT A good choice for reading with groups or for one-on-one sharing.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The pig star of Rufus Goes to School decides to be a pirate over summer vacation. He fails to impress real pirates with pirate shtick, but his literacy wins them over: only Rufus can read the treasure map. Rufus is an appealingly tenacious little scamp, and Gorbachev makes comically clear that the Scurvy Dog's crew couldn't shiver a single timber. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
