I Escaped Amazon River Pirates (4)

There is a distinctive style to "I Escaped Amazon River Pirates." I wouldn't call it a throwback, a better phrase might be "lovingly inspired." Either way, that wonderful educational, spirit of adventure that dominated media from the 80's through the 90's touches this story.Peters and Crow's (sounds like a kid's television show) novel succeeds, even despite the fact there is really nothing new here. And that, to be honest, is the hardest criticism I can really throw. We follow two siblings - well, step-siblings, as they will be want to remind you throughout (in of itself, a trope) - Nick and Maddie. These two have been whisked away to the Amazon by their parents, in what reeks of a midlife crisis. Naturally, everything doesn’t go as planned, as the ferry they are on is boarded by pirates. After Johnny Depp…Wait, wrong type of pirates. After a grungy group of not-as-commercially-friendly-real life bandits cause a split in the intrepid group, right down the age lines (trope two), our young protagonists must fend for themselves. What follows is a thrilling, non-stop ride with some surprisingly good prose, and a knack for inserting educational moments without force.I had a lot of fun reading this. I had even more fun pretending it was a 90's cartoon show. Peters and Crow's book is short, easily digestible, and full of wonderful moments. I am sure kids of all ages will find something to love about it, and thanks to their skilled hand, they might learn a bit as well.

Look forward to reading this!

Scary, violentBut overall it's really good great real life lessonLiam good good good good goodGood god that is

I Escaped Amazon River Pirates, by Ellie Crowe & Scott Peters, is a treacherous, thrilling adventure story for young readers. This is the kind of story that my son, age 10, would pick up and devour! Any fan of the popular 'I Survived' series will enjoy this 'I Escaped' tale.Siblings Nick and Maddie find themselves lost in the Amazon in this one, amid a menagerie of colorful wildlife and - yes, pirates! A story packed with action, but also one that highlights teamwork, relationships, and gives insight into the culture of the Amazon. After the story, readers can also enjoy learning facts about the region, as well as environmental concerns and ways they can help.An exciting, high-stakes adventure that is fun and educational, I Escaped Amazon River Pirates is a great read for middle-grade students.

Thia book was an adventure from page one. The author drew the reader in with pirates taking over the ship and then went back to give a bit more information on what started it all. This story also touched on step siblings and how they can dislike a situation ( each other) but still overcome trying situations. Lastly, this book touches on the dangers of the Amazon River abd provides some true facts and information at the end. Overall I think children will love this book and the well placed illustrations and facts.

It was an interesting story but a little creepy. Obviously, the author used references of actual events to build the plot. Well played out.

The target audience are teens, but I really enjoyed it myself. Lots of action... Just a fun read. Try it!

Once again a great addition to the book series. This author really knows his audience. My son has read two others in the series.

I Escaped Amazon River Pirates is a full-throttled, heart-thumping adventure that follows two step-siblings who become separated from their family whilst travelling in the Amazon rainforest. As they try to get to safety they are pursued by gun-wielding pirates, whilst having to contend with the dangers of the hostile natural world around them.The authors of this book have a good sense of drama; each page is crammed with action and conflict that moves the plot along semelessly. There are only short moments of reprieve, but due to the book's short length this doesn't cause too many pacing issues. Instead, the audience is kept on their toes, and seeing as this book is aimed for young readers, this is no bad thing - this is exactly what makes the book so much fun.I greatly enjoyed the two main characters, Nick and Madison. Their relationship is initially strained in the way that most siblings are, and throughout the tale we get a strong sense of how they come together in a crisis to form new bonds. Nick tries to be distant towards Madison at first, but when danger strikes his practical, caring and cool side shines through. Madison may remain a brat, but then again what eight year old isn't? My only criticism is of the pirates. With such little contact time with them I found them a little faceless. I would have liked to spend a bit more of the story with them, or at least have one of them named. Then we would have really known who we were facing out there and what drives them.The writing is concise and snappy and it fits well with the target audience. The drawings of pirates, crocodiles and other animals were nice additions too. At the end of the book we get to see the true moral of the story and the threat currently posed to the people of the Amazon. It is a novel way to educate people on such an important issue that isn't represented so much elsewhere in the world.

My students were captivated by this story when I read it aloud to them.