The High Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate

Gr 4–7—Blue Jay the Pirate and his crew of motley birds set sail on a quest for adventure in this high-flying, action-packed adventure (Candlewick, 2012). When the mysterious egg that was taken aboard hatches to reveal a gosling, some of the crew rebel, but Captain Jay insists that Gabriel be kept on board the ship. Not long after Gabriel's arrival, Jay's ship, the Grosbeak, crashes in a dangerous section of Thrushia controlled by a group of thieving crows. Gabriel and his caretaker, the kind-hearted Junco, are separated from the rest of the crew and must take shelter with a group of tormented sparrows. Meanwhile, the remaining crew head underground to escape the crows and make a surprisingly helpful friend in the nearly blind mole, Hillary. By working together, the birds in this oppressed society find a way to defeat the crows, save the ship, and head for the free skies above. Dan John Miller does a nice of voicing this unique cast of characters and paces the telling well. There is tough pirate talk and some significant violence which suggests an older audience than one might expect for an animal fantasy tale. Still, Miller's unique voices combined with loads of action will appeal to many listeners.—Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT