Brendan Clarkin: Pirates Cove

By MARGIE THOMSON

My 8-year-old boy thought this was really exciting and scary, whereas I might have judged it too harshly for the fact that it never explains what I thought its central mystery to be: what exactly is the wicked Watty up to, scaring off small children who encroach on his territory? But the kids seem to like this story of Brett, a practical joker who's always getting into trouble. Set at school camp, that trouble starts to look dangerous when he stumbles across some evil characters who will stop at nothing to get him out of the way.

HarperCollins

$12.95