The Silver Casket

June 1, 2009
Gr 4-6-Having saved Crampton Rock from werewolves and ghostly pirates in "The Wooden Mile" and "The Icy Hand" (both Roaring Brook, 2008), Stanley Buggles hopes that his island manor house is finally secure. Alas, Candlestick Hall hides the Ibisan ancient relic that calls up a horde of even more evil pirate spectersincluding the fiendish Angel Cuzco, the most terrible buccaneer of all. The sinister spirits converge on the island, seeking the relic and the silver casket that it unlocks. Warned of the advancing armada by a Gypsy fortune-teller, Stanley calls on his friend Daisy and on the magical talking pike that used to hang on the parlor wall. Although the three adventurers don't know what the casket contains, they know that disaster will follow if it falls into the pirates' skeletal grasp. But what can a boy, a girl, and a stuffed fish do against the vilest scum that ever sailed the seven seas? Although this blend of pirates and ghosts has some scary moments, the plot action is uneven and depends heavily on the previous books. While the pirate talk is suitably salty, the kids' dialogue often seems rather stiff. The eerie, darkly humorous black-and-white cartoon illustrations will attract readers, but those unfamiliar with Stanley's earlier adventures are likely to be confused by this one."Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL"

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