The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth

Now Duncade offers all the usual holiday activities of fishing, boating and beachcombing but, in times past, was notorious for pirates who used false lights to wreck ships on the rocks. In fact the title of the book, The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth, refers to a particular row of rocks where on certain nights the dead pirate's teeth can be seen gleaming in the dark. Or can they?

Will, already nervous by nature, is made even more nervous when Marty, his older brother, begins to tell the full, 'true' tale of how these rocks got their name and it involves a boy exactly of nervous Will's age. To add to Will's concerns there is his anxiety and anticipation of his first attendance at the weekly Sprats' Jig junior-junior disco for nine to eleven year olds, which turns out to be less than he had hoped for but is as nothing when compared to his solitary walk home across the rocks. The narrative bounces along with a clarity of style and humour that is never out of characters. A real page turner, likely to be devoured in one sitting.

The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth By Eoin Colfer. Illustrated by Tony Ross. Puffin Books €11.65. Ages 8 to 9

Tony Hickey