View source for Scratch Kitten on the Pirate's Shoulder by Jessica Green

{{infobox1
|title=Scratch Kitten Goes to Sea
|author=Jessica Green
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sweet little book about an incorrigible kitten on board a pirate ship. There's plenty of humour and it's ideal for newly confident readers.
|rating=3.5
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|pages=96
|publisher=Little Hare Books
|date=August 2008
|isbn=1921272457
|cover=1921272457
|aznuk=1921272457
|aznus=1921272457
}}

''Scratch and Peg-leg had been cast adrift because they'd put a mouse in the captain's stew.''

Ha. Great first line, eh? Rescued by a pirate ship, Peg-leg finds a niche making squid in the hole and shellfish dip for the crew as ship's cook. Scratch is less fortunate. Aiming to be equally useful, he catches some mice and incurs the wrath of the pirate captain, whose girlfriend, Kate, likes birds. The captain's parrot, Squawk, was a gift from Kate. But Squawk hates sitting on the captain's shoulder, while Scratch rather fancies the job. The usual Scratch kitten mayhem ensues while the two try to swap roles.

''Scratch Kitten on the Pirate's Shoulder'' is a jolly little book for newly confident readers. It's vivid and energetic and it has a goodly dollop of humour to help it along. Children love a good comedy of manners, and they never fail to laugh at a bit of slapstick and this little book has plenty of that. You can see the various mishaps coming from a mile off, and that's all part of the fun. The text is smart and punchy and the illustrations complement it very well - they're full of flavour.

Ideal for those who are happily reading alone, and also for before that for parents to read at bedtime, it's perhaps a library borrowing rather than a purchase, unless your child happens to fall in love with this particular character. Don't forget the first in the series - ''Scratch Kitten Goes to Sea''.

My thanks to the nice people at Little Hare for sending the book.

Also wonderful for newly confident readers is the classic [[George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl]].  You might also enjoy the humour in [[The Best Medicine by Christine Hamill]].

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