All Paws on Deck

by Jessica Young, James Burks (Illustrator)

Overview

This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

Tank is a clumsy, outgoing Great Dane. Haggis is a dapper and grumpy Scottie dog. In the first book in the series, Haggis and Tank set sail as pirates. At first, Haggis doesn't see what Tank does--that an adventure awaits them with just a little imagination! But soon, Haggis joins in the fun and the two friends go on a pirate adventure. They talk like pirates, swab the deck, and even search for buried treasure. This series is full of clever wordplay and homophones that make Haggis and Tank's adventures even more fun!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545818865
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	01/05/2016
Series:	Haggis and Tank Unleashed Series , #1
Pages:	80
Sales rank:	30,232
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jessica Young is an elementary/middle-school art teacher and author. The same things make her happy now as when she was a kid: dancing, painting, music, digging in the dirt, picnics, reading, and writing. Her debut picture book My Blue is Happy was a 2014 Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title and was featured on multiple best-book lists. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.

James Burks spent fifteen years working in the animation industry on various movies and television shows, including The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis, Treasure Planet, Space Jam, The Iron Giant, Wow Wow Wubbzy, and most recently on Fan Boy & Chum Chum. James is the author of the Bird & Squirrel graphic novel series for Scholastic, as well as the illustrator for the Branches series Haggis and Tank Unleashed. James lives in Valencia, California.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Haggis and Tank #1: All Paws on Deck:

"Young...engag[es] her heroes in enticing banter and funny misunderstandings involving puns and homophones. It's especially gratifying to see that the big, tough, strong dog character is a female. Burks' plentiful, full-color art is consistently engaging...These salty sea dogs put the bite back in buccaneering." -- Kirkus

“Two canine pals star in this entertaining, comics-style chapter book series for early readers…Tank and Haggis have many homophone-related miscommunications, a concept…which both helps aid reading comprehension and boosts the funny factor…The animated, distinctly drawn characters…will have kids seeking their future adventures.” -- Booklist

“The dogs' odd-couple antics, loads of goofy humor, and an appealing comics/early reader format make for an all-around entertaining read.” -- Publishers Weekly

"A must-have for the difficult-to-fill niche for readers transitioning from picture books and beginning readers to early chapter books...A solid new series for newly independent chapter book readers." -- School Library Journal

Praise for Haggis and Tank #2: Digging for Dinos:

"This sequel is far from a dinosnore; here's to joining these two pals on all their future adventures." -- Kirkus

 

From the Publisher

Tank, the Great Dane, pilots his wagon downhill and stops by his pal Haggis, a Scottie. Tank is ready for adventure even though Haggis is a bit leery. However, Tank’s excellent imagination soon has them both sailing the “make-believe” high seas in their homemade pirate ship that seems real to them. Other of the dogs’ zany antics include tying knots, looking for treasure, meeting up with a dragon, and Haggis’s going overboard. Eventually they make it back to their own yard and reality. This hilarious book has the format of a graphic novel and holds young readers’ interest from start to the end. Fun-filled illustrations add to the humor of the silly text. The plot is simple, but refreshing; and it uses various plays on words to help children see how homophones work. This is one of the books from the “Haggis and Tank” series. Children who read one will be anxious to read the others. Reviewer: Nancy Garhan Attebury; Ages 5 to 8.

Children's Literature - Nancy Garhan Attebury

11/09/2015
There’s more than a little Abbott and Costello in the goofy, misunderstanding-laden relationship between two dogs in this first book in the Haggis and Tank Unleashed series. As the exuberant Tank and crustier Haggis embark on an imaginary pirate escapade, Young (the Finley Flowers series) crams their dialogue with “Who’s on first?”-style homophones. “That’s a tall tale. Stop making up stories,” Haggis grumps when Tank spots a sea serpent heading their way. “It is a tall tail,” Tank responds. Burks (the Bird & Squirrel series) keeps the book’s six chapters zipping along in lively full-bleed images and panel sequences. The dogs’ odd-couple antics, loads of goofy humor, and an appealing comics/early reader format make for an all-around entertaining read. A sequel, Digging for Dinos, pubs in February. Ages 5–7. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

01/01/2016
K-Gr 3—Young introduces readers to Haggis, a bored Scottish terrier, and Tank, a Great Dane who is always up for a new escapade. With all the elements of a great pirate adventure, including a deserted island, sailor knots, and a buried treasure, Young gives authentic voice to her pup protagonist, creating an engaging narrative that young and newly emergent readers will look forward to. Burks's illustrations give life to these spirited characters, and his artwork reinforces the text throughout. The easy-to-read text, in conjunction with the color-coordinated dialogue bubbles for Haggis and Tank, makes the selection a must-have for the difficult-to-fill niche for readers transitioning from picture books and beginning readers to early chapter books. VERDICT A solid new series for newly independent chapter book readers.—John Trischitti, Midland County Public Libraries, TX

School Library Journal

2015-10-19
Two bored pups take to the high seas in an imaginative and homophone-friendly caper. Tank, a Great Dane of endless spunk and enthusiasm, and Haggis, a small Scottish terrier with an uncanny resemblance to Wilford Brimley, decide that the best way to spend a sunny morning is to pretend that they're the "rrruff-est scallywags" to sail the seven seas. With Tank (aka "Bootleg Bonny") providing the passion and Haggis ("Captain Scurvy") the brains, they encounter everything from sneaky squeaky sea serpents and buried treasure to the perils of improper slipknots. Fortunately, when certain death threatens the daring duo, deliverance appears in the least likely of places. In this latest addition to Scholastic's early chapter Branches imprint, Young spends a fair amount of time engaging her heroes in enticing banter and funny misunderstandings involving puns and homophones. It's especially gratifying to see that the big, tough, strong dog character is a female. Burks' plentiful, full-color art is consistently engaging, incorporating dialogue bubbles as well as regular typeset prose. Kids dipping a toe into the waters of early chapter books will find themselves challenged by the text while simultaneously enticed by the alluring art. These salty sea dogs put the bite back in buccaneering. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews