by Moe Zilla

Created on: February 22, 2010

It's a poodle who's a pirate. Yes, it's "Fluffy - Scourge of the Sea." And besides the colorful and funny illustrations - this book also rhymes!

"Bold Fluffy strutted on the deck
with eyes as cold as lead.
'If you knew who I am,' he said,
'You'd wish that you were dead.'"

The poodle's bluffing, of course. He's just a dandy dog in a frou-frou cap and a dainty pink bow. But when he's captured by a band of dog-pirates, he strikes a savage pose to trick them. "The pirates looked quite doubtful," writes Teresa Bateman, and it's about to get even more dangerous. The pirates call his bluff - and then challenge him to a sword fight!

"But Fluffy'd gone to fencing school.
'En garde!' that poodle cried.
And he chased the pirate captain
As he ran from side to side..."

Go, Fluffy! And he's also a better cook. He wins the hearts of the crew with an elegant meal, and even wins the captain's singing contest. (Instead of a dreary ballad about Doggy Jones' locker, the poodle sings about love, hope, and the tradewinds which blow a ship home...)

"He looked that pirate in the eye.
A grim smile curled his lip.
'I don't think you deserve the job
Of captaining this ship!"

The book repeats its positive message again and again. The poodle's name may be silly, and his bow IS a trifle dandy - but judged on particulars, he's a hero. The crew loves his cooking, his singing, and even his sword-fighting skills. Maybe we shouldn't judge people on appearances after all...

The book's jacket jokes that pirate such stories are the "secret memoirs" of this book's author Teresa Bateman - cleverly disguised as picture books." But it adds that she  digs for treasure in books now as the librarian of an elementary school in Washington. Maybe that's where she got the idea about learning how to get along - even among pirates. But it's also a very entertaining story - especially when the crew discovers Fluffy's "plunder" - of rubber bones and expensive bags of kibble.


"'I vote we change our captain,'
said an eye-patched old bowwow.
'If that's the type of loot he has,
I'll follow Fluffy now.'"

I'm a little disturbed by the way the story ends. The dogs determine that the best way to land delicious swag is...to shampoo themselves, shine their shoes, wear fluffy bows, and look cute for their admirers. I worried the author was sending the wrong message to impressionable little girls. But at least she thoughtfully dedicates her book to five females "who have always appreciated the power of 'cute' and the awesome responsibility it entails..."

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