Never Say Die! The Skeleton Pirate by David Lucas

THE SKELETON PIRATE WAS THE TERROR OF THE SEAS.

"I'LL NEVER BE BEATEN!" HE SAID.

Notwithstanding the tough talk from The Terror of the Seas, this pirate is having a bad day.  His timbers apparently already shivered, afloat on what looks like a hatch of his seemingly sunken ship, and down to nothing but his pirate hat, pantaloons, and a sword, the still pugnacious pirate sees things go from bad to terrible when  a fully-manned man-of-war pulls into view. The crew outmans him,  locks him in chains, and tosses him into the briny deep, still full of defiance.

"I'LL NEVER BE BEATEN!"  (GLUB GLUB)

Curses! As the Skeleton Pirate settles to the bottom of the sea, he finally gets a break!  Along swims a lovely mermaid who has just the right stuff--a skeleton key!  But his luck is short-lived.  Just as the mermaid unlocks his chains, the Skeleton Pirate and the mermaid are both swallowed by a bottom-feeding whale.

"WE'RE NOT BEATEN YET!" said the Skeleton Pirate, brandishing his sword.

The mermaid suggests they reconnoiter before any swordplay is involved and they notice that the whale's tummy is very full--full mostly with tons of booty and a loaded treasure ship to boot.     That can't be comfortable, the mermaid thinks.  Maybe....

A convenient sign points the way to the leviathan's EAR, and the Skeleton Pirate and the mermaid prepare to negotiate a good outcome  to their dilemma.

"YOU ATE US!" SAID THE SKELETON PIRATE.

"DID YOU KNOW YOU ARE FULL OF GOLD AND TREASURE?"

"NO WONDER I FEEL SO ILL!" SAID THE WHALE. 

At this point giggling readers will guess that the Skeleton Pirate and the mermaid are going to come out on top(side) in David Lucas' rollicking new corsair story, The Skeleton Pirate (Candlewick, 2013). Lucas' funny illustrations take the lead  as the two get their just desserts and sail away in their treasure ship, heading for Cape Happy-Ever-After.  David Lucas' buoyant text and comic watercolors bounce along over the waves in a satisfying little tale for pirate aficionados.  As Kirkus Reviews reports, "Lucas' over-the-top yarn and loopy larger-than-life ink-and-watercolor cartoon illustrations wink at readers while producing one clever surprise after another. Exhilarating pirate fare!"