The High Skies Adventures of Blue Jay the Pirate

by Scott Nash

Scott Nash (Illustrator)

Hoist the Jolly Robin! Fly with a swashbuckling crew as they soar through the air — and evade danger on the ground — in search of treasure and lofty adventure.

Captain Blue Jay, notorious and feared pirate of the skies, has a fondness for collecting treasure, especially eggs. Unfortunately, sometimes his treasure hatches, and this time the hatchling is the strangest one the Grosbeak has ever seen. No sailor is certain whether the chick is a young god or just an oversized bird who needs too much food, but one thing is clear: the winds over Thrushland are shifting, and dramatic changes are in store for all. Whether outwitting a gang of thieving crows, outrunning murderous fishers and weasels, or rallying Briarloch’s beleaguered sparrows, this motley crew must do all they can to stay together and stay alive. And that’s just the tip of the bird’s feather! Offering a bounty of illustrations and a host of memorable characters — from an endearing star-nosed mole to an unlikely little warrior with a vendetta — here is a treasure for anyone who has ever wanted to take to the skies and see where fortune blows.

• ISBN10: 0763632643
• ISBN13: 9780763632649
• Publish Date: 25 September 2012 (first published 1 September 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 11 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Candlewick Press
• Imprint: Candlewick
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780763632649

Reviews

[Beth C.]

This is a story about pirates. But not just any pirates - bird pirates. Their ship flies, their plunder is seed, and their Captain is the notorious Blue Jay. This is also the story of what happens when Blue Jay's band of pirates end up with a gosling on board - so big, awkward and gangly that there is little the poor guy can do right in the pirating world. When adventure and scallywags strike, will they all be ready?

I started out a bit hesitant about the book - curious, but not really convinced that bird pirates would be a good idea. My lack of conviction died about half way through, and stayed buried until the end. It really is a well-written story, and uses the real-life qualities of the birds to accent their characters within the book. It is apparent that the author enjoys birds and has a pretty decent knowledge base with which to draw from. The story start a little bit slow, but picks up speed and keeps a pretty good pace the rest of the way through. The illustrations are lovely - my Vine edition didn't have color, but the black and white versions were pretty darn wonderful. I'm sure the color will be even better.

As a teacher, I found so many things that could be pulled from the book for further discussion/exploration. Friendship, bullying, being yourself, science (the different kinds of birds, star-nosed moles, migration, etc.), fables (there is one in the book about how the crow lost it's voice and became black)...these are just a few of the topics I can pick out right off the top of my head. The nice thing is that unlike some books with multiple topics, there isn't any preaching. It's just a good story that kids will enjoy with some added information.

I would definitely recommend this book. I believe it would appeal to both boys and girls, probably in the 3-6 grade range. Even better, it would be extremely well-suited for out loud reading, both in the classroom and at home. The ending certainly concludes this story, but also seems to leave open the possibility that this could be a series. I can say with no hesitation that I would enjoy reading another tale of Blue Jay and his pirate crew!