Tim, Ted and the Pirates by Ian Whybrow and Russell Ayto (HarperCollins Children's Books)

While we're on the subject of Pirates today, let's dive into another piratical tale - this time from the dynamic duo of Ian (Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs) Whybrow and Russell (The Cow that Laid an Egg) Ayto.

Surreal antics abound as a seemingly ordinary everyday classroom is suddenly flooded, and becomes the backdrop for adventure on the high seas!

Tim and Ted must recover stolen treasure from a band of wonky-toothed (and rather mean) pirates. With Ian Whybrow's frenetic and energetic writing style and Russell Ayto's previous involvement in piratical children's books (The Captain Flynn books with Giles Andreae) you know you're on pretty solid ground with this but is it perhaps one pirate book too many?

Putting children front and centre in this adventure really does make the difference, and we secretly quite liked the fact that the pirates in this book are pretty hopeless and are soon outwitted by the kids.

Good broad appeal to girls and boys too, always a plus for a pirate book particularly when your own girl-pirate at home demands it to be so!

Charlotte's best bit: The Princess and her shouty time-tunnel mouth! WAAAAAHHH!

Daddy's favourite bit: Zany, crazy, a hint of surreality but a good old fashioned pirate yarn at its heart.

(Kindly sent to us for review by HarperCollins Children's Books)