Victricia Malicia
Book-Loving Buccaneer
Carrie Clickard Illustrated by Mark Meyers

Flashlight Press
June 1, 2012 /978-1936261123
Picture Book
Amazon

Reviewed by Jan Fields

Victricia Malicia Calamity Barrett comes from a pirate family, but she's much more at home in a book than a barge. Her lack of pirate skills seems to mess up everything, until a scary sea serpent goes after the ship. With her hero status firmly in place, Victricia can finally find her place -- a place that changes her family forever. The rollicking rhyme tells the tale of Victricia with humor and plenty of lively action. And the message of the book in honoring everyone's special gifts and dreams was explored without a hint of lecture or nag. The bright illustrations are so full of action that children will return to pore over them time after time. I particularly enjoyed the end pieces with line drawings that show us the parts of a ship in the front and an appealing "treasure" map at the end. For little pirate lovers, this book is worth a three-argh salute!