Pirates don-t knit, generally speaking, but a young one named Ned does, and he-s sticking with it. His jolly colleagues sing, -We-re tougher than gristle and barnacle grit,/ We heave, and we ho, and we swab, and we...- -Knit!- finishes Ned, who-s sitting behind a barrel doing just that. -A scurvy pirate doesn-t knit, nor wear a fuzzy hat,- the captain growls. Writing verse that hits every metrical accent with a rousing beat is no easy task, but Murray (City Shapes) crafts her rhymes as conscientiously as Ned works on his knitting. In Lammle-s (Princess Wannabe) nonthreatening pirate world, captain and crew have big troll-like noses, and they dance and sing when the pirating is going well. An attack on the ship by a hungry, reptilian sea monster gives Ned the chance to show how handy it is to have an extra-cozy knitted blanket on hand. Ned-s stout commitment to knitting and his poise in the face of derision make him a thoroughly lovable hero. Ages 6-9. Author-s agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. Illustrator-s agency: Wernick & Pratt. (Aug.)

PreS-Gr 2 The scurvy pirates aboard the Rusty Heap are a scruffy and scrappy and happy crew. "We're tougher than gristle and barnacle grit./We heave, and we ho, and we swab, and weknit!!!" Or at least Ned does, much to the captain's disgust. Readers join a celebration when Ned's enormous hand-knitted blanket saves the day by sending a sail-eating sea monster back to the deep for a 100-year-long nap. Murray's couplets flow with unique images like a "skull-trim appliqué" and a "briny ocean beast." Lammle's charming, rounded cartoon characters include a watchful mermaid and a monkey who appears on nearly every page. The soft palette and friendly crew should please even the youngest pirate fans. Makers will want to take Ned's lead and teach their mates a stitch or two. VERDICT A great read-aloud for pirate-themed storytimes, and, by tale's end, listeners will join in on the refrain. Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA