Time Pirate by Ted Bell

Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin

Pages:  424

Source:  ARC from publisher

Although I received this ARC from the publisher, the review that follows is my own and not because I received the ARC.

Time Pirates is the sequel to "Nick of Time".  I had not read the first before I got this one.  I found that this book was okay as a stand alone book.  For the middle school student looking for adventure this would definitely be the book for him or her to read.

From the back of the book:

The pirate Billy Blood has kidnapped Nick's sister Kate and taken her to Jamaica in the year 1781.  In the process of rescuing her, Nick uncovers a plot to foil the American Revolution  But if the Americans lose, they will not be able to help the British fight off the Nazis two centuries later.

Soon Nick is gunning down Nazis in his rickety old fighter plan, doing battle with the largest pirate armada ever assembled, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the great General George Washington.

But Nick, "the most reliable boy in England," must first become a traitor to his country in order to save it, and that may be more than he can handle.

If that last line doesn't make you sit up and say, "Whoa, I need to read this book" then I'm not sure what would entice you.  Nick McIver  along with the other people of his town are on the lookout for Nazi soldiers.  The Yanks (Americans) have not yet joined the war and so they must rely on themselves.  Nick and his sister find a dead young soldier hanging from a tree in the woods while on their way to a barn.  They leave him intending to tell their father.  When they get to the barn, Nick shows his sister an old Sopwith Camel and tells her it was the plane their father flew home in.  He plans on fixing it up and helping fight the Germans.

The Nazis are just one of his problems.  Captain Billy Blood has traveled through time and kidnapped Nick's sister Kate.  He is trying to force Nick into giving him his time machine.  Now Nick must not only fight against the Nazis but he must travel back in time to rescue his sister Kate.    This event will put him at odds with the country he loves.  To tell you any more would be giving away info that you need to read for yourself.  This was an excellent book and because of that I definitely need to get the sequel for my shelves at school.