Pirate Gold

Michael Salmon, Fort Street

Pirate Gold is a picture book for children that tells of the adventures of pirate pigs, or Piganeers, as they called.

They have names like Pigswill the cook, Peg Leg Pete (I thought Pig Leg Peter would be funnier, although he does have a peg leg), Captain Porker, Big Boar and their arch enemies, the Ship Rats.

Captain Porker says things like “Suffering seaweed”, “Bandy-legged barracudas” and “Avast there, you scurvy rats”. They all sail on the good ship Hogwash.

The pigs are appropriately attired with hats or scarves and weapons and the occasional eye patch; in fact even the ship parrot has an eye patch. Everybody and all the contents of the ship are brightly coloured and pink for pigs and yellow for the gold predominate.

Pirate Gold’s plot is simple; the emphasis is on suspense. There is a search for lost treasure, an enraged captain and a perilous swim through shark-infested waters with hungry sharks with gleaming sharp teeth snapping at the Piganeers’ heels.

Pirate Gold will be very popular with small boys going through their “pirate stage”.

Katy Gerner