Pirate Academy: Missing at Sea by Justin Somper

Title: Pirate Academy: Missing at Sea

Author: Justin Somper

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Published: 3^rd February 2026

Format: Paperback

Pages:256

Price: $16.99

Synopsis: A weekend’s adventure at sea turns into a terrifying test of true mettle for Jasmine, Jacoby and Neo, and the rest of the Pirate Academy crew in this fast-paced and exciting fantasy adventure series perfect for readers of How to Train Your Dragon or Artemis Fowl.

‘A gloriously action-packed adventure, full of characters you really care about.’ – Cressida Cowell, author of How to Train Your Dragon
‘Pirates done right! I love this world.’ – Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl
‘So engaging, with a great cast of characters.’ – Kiah Thomas, author of The Callers

Pirate Academy is buzzing with anticipation about the upcoming Oceans Bound weekend – two whole days of freedom and adventure. It’s a competition that requires five crews, five ships, excellent leadership and amazing teamwork. Each crew must complete a range of challenges delivered to them via a message in a bottle. And there’ll be no teachers on board! Oceans Bound will test Barracuda Class’s BRONTE skills to the limit – only those with the right amount of Bravery, Resilience, Observation, Navigation, Teamwork and general Excellence will complete the course.

But when the ringleader of the League of True Pirates escapes from prison, the competition turns deadly serious. Unbeknownst to the Academy, for one particular crew, Oceans Bound has turned into a series of near-impossible tasks, leading Jasmine, Jacoby and Neo into terrible danger.

Will the young pirates-in-training complete the course and triumph against their fiendish enemy? Or will the League of True Pirates have even more spine-tingling surprises up their sleeves?

It’s another day in Pirate Academy and another swashbuckling adventure!

Perfect for:
– Reluctant and confident readers aged 8+ seeking fast-paced adventure stories
– Parents, teachers and librarians looking for stories with both boy and girl protagonists
– Fans of popular series such as Oceanforged, How to Train Your Dragon and Artemis Fowl

~*~

Welcome back to 2507, and Pirate Academy. It’s time for the Barracuda class to head off on their Oceans Bound venture, and Jacoby, Jasmine and Neo are in a crew together, racing other crews to complete the mission and tasks on the trip. It’s going to be two days of adventure. Five crews, five ships and some really cool challenges to test their BRONTE skills – Bravery, Resilience, Observation, Navigation, Teamwork and general Excellence!

But will things be marred by the news that the ringleader of the League of True Pirates has escaped from prison? And which crew will be singled out and led astray?

It’s been a month since the end of the last book, and the Barracuda class are getting along well, forming friendships and learning about each other. All these loyalties are going to be put to the test now to help them learn about becoming pirates. It’s all part of learning to be a good pirate and to be part of the Pirate Federation.  Yet, the sinister echoes of the League of True Pirates is bubbling along, and the kids are all alone – no teachers, no adults. They have to solve it all on their own.

In this latest adventure, Jasmine, Jacoby and Neo are front and centre as they discover things about each other and their families, about loyalty and being there for each other during the Oceans Bound quest. It’s a nod to those Outward Bound camps people do in high school, or things where you learn to fend for yourself in the wild and bond with the people you are supposed to be working with. It suits the pirate world well, and allows the characters to grow and evolve, even as the world seems to be overshadowed by something dark.

The adventure on the high seas is back, and with it, the threats that abound on the seas and from the people who wish to force a take-over, and make every pirate evil. Pirates in this world are judged on their actions and their morality, and sometimes, you’re never sure who to trust as there are surprises around every corner. But it is clear that our heroes are working to ensure the integrity of the Federation of Pirates for generations to come.

Even though this series is set in 2507, there are echoes of our world in there that have been tweaked for this new world, and that are familiar and new at the same time. The second book continues the series well, and this is a series that has to be read in order. Each book follows on from each other swiftly, and ramps up the tension and what is to come next. This is a very cool way to have pirates in stories! It’s a great series for reluctant readers because the chapters are short, and there is always something happening, always a way to draw readers through the story and from chapter to chapter. And it is great to see a book that has boy and girl protagonists getting equal page time, as well as diversity so hopefully this will have a wide appeal.

A great addition to the series!