It's Not a School Bus, It's a Pirate Ship

By Mickey Rapkin, Teresa Martinez (Illustrator)

Part of the It's Not a Book Series, It's an Adventure series

A boy transforms his school bus into a pirate ship to conquer first-day fears.

4.5/7 Bookroo experts·3.6/5 Goodreads · 81 ratings

32 pages

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

On his first day of school, a boy faces the daunting ride on the school bus. But with a burst of imagination, the bus becomes a pirate ship, and his fears transform into an adventurous voyage. As he navigates the high seas, he discovers camaraderie and fun with his new pirate crew. Will his imagination help him conquer his anxiety and make new friends? Set sail on this whimsical journey where imagination turns fear into excitement, and every day is an adventure waiting to unfold.

From the publisher

A boy overcomes his first-day-of-school fears by imagining It’s Not a School Bus, It’s a Pirate Ship! Set sail on the high-seas with him in this picture book adventure by writer Mickey Rapkin and illustrator Teresa Martinez!

The first day of school means the first ride on the school bus. But who will I sit with? What if no one talks to me?

Luckily this isn’t a school bus, it’s a pirate ship!

And this crew has one motto: “One for all and all for FUN!” So set sail on a voyage across the high seas! And prepare to make some pirate buddies along the way in this adventure about overcoming your anxiety.

An Imprint Book

Praise for It’s Not a Bed, It’s a Time Machine:

“Where the Wild Things Are meets Harold and the Purple Crayon with an imagination that’s brand new…These are illustrations that deserve to be explored again and again.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Dreamlike…the simple story and colorful illustrations successfully combine to spark readers’ imaginations.” ―School Library Journal

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Reading age: 3–6
Audience: Picture

Themes & topics

Books about starting school Books about pirates Books about imagination Books about bedtime and dreams Books about transportation

The Bookroo review

What our editors thought of this book

A young boy is hesitant to board the school bus on the first day of school, but his fears are alleviated when the bus driver whispers to him as he climbs aboard, “You don’t have to be afraid . . . This isn’t a school bus, it’s a pirate ship!” The commute to school becomes an adventure on the high seas with jokes, songs, and even sightings of taco-eating dolphins. Most importantly, the voyage brings new friends who share in the imaginative fun that continues even upon arriving at school, where the classroom rug is actually a magic carpet. Rapkin’s story brings laughs and smiles with its humorous pirate jokes and catchy sea-faring sing-alongs, but while fun and imaginative, the ride to school is fairly uneventful and the story feels a bit anticlimactic—perhaps as a ride to school should. However, Martinez’s digital illustrations are too bright and colorful for the story to be considered boring. Her portrayal of a young person’s undefined fears of a scary bus ride—she fills the seats with black and gray hued sketches of ghosts, stick figures, snakes, and spiders—are especially insightful in conveying an abstract dread of the unknown. Young readers who love pirate stories will appreciate this tale, as will adults looking for a fun story to help a child overcome fears, especially fear of going to school.

The verdict

“Pirate lovers will delight in this tale of overcoming fear, even if it stays in the shallows.”

Bookroo Editorial

Reviewed February 2020

4.5/7

What readers & critics say