ALA Booklist (Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2001)

Lighthearted quarrel stories are fun, and new readers will enjoy the slapstick and the standoffs in this simple chapter book that reads like TV comedy. Captain and Matey are two pirates who get angry at each other and make a lot of noise. What will they name their parrot? What will they do with the treasure when they find it? Of course, they turn out to be gentle enemies who are best friends. Munoz's pastel-and-black-line cartoon illustrations capture the boisterous action of the silly outlaws and the bond between them. A lively new entry in the I Can Read Book series.

Horn Book

Four brief, spirited chapters detailing the lighthearted adventures of pirates Captain and Matey feature short, simple sentences with helpful repetition--often used to humorous effect--and loose, breezy watercolors that provide visual clues to help new readers decode the text. Those embarking on their own first literary voyages will welcome Captain and Matey aboard.

Kirkus Reviews

A handful of cockamamie pirate tales that will have beginning readers chortling along as Captain and Matey squabble their way through silly adventures. In four separate stories, Captain and Matey do things that pirates do, such as acquiring a parrot. Then they argue about what to name the bird—until the bird settles the issue. They bicker over what song to sing while swabbing the decks—until the parrot shows them how to cut and paste their favorites together. Captain gets huffy when a pirate they save seems to possess more piratical talents, and the two friends feud over how to spend the treasure they never find. But that is the crux, of course: they're pals who tidy up their friendship at the end of a spat-filled day. Newcomer Laurence, who is an early-reading specialist, has built plenty of repetitions into the stories by way of arguments—will to, will not, will to, will not—but mostly his eye has been on keeping things lively and very funny. And Munoz's slaphappy, brisk illustrations are perfectly matched to the silly story and are invaluable aids in helping new readers get the gist of the words. (Easy reader. 4-8)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-This appealing easy-reader offers a high-seas adventure and themes of friendship and individuality. Captain is quite concerned with proper pirate behavior, while Matey is more of a gentle soul. This unlikely pair disagree on everything from their new parrot's name to which tune to sing during deck-swabbing. However, they always manage to find a compromise. They rescue an intimidating, tattooed fellow, who irritates Captain and impresses Matey with his superior display of pirate skills. Upon his departure, the visitor leaves them a treasure map, which leads to another argument about what they'll do with the spoils. Captain wants a bigger sailing ship, while Matey dreams of a cottage by the sea. Is this the end of their pirating days? Friendship wins out in this charming tale. Mu-oz's cartoons depict two typical, though far-from-fierce-looking pirates. They are particularly amusing when contrasted with their big, burly visitor.-Devon Gallagher, Grace Day School, Massapequa, NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.