The Giant Rat of Sumatra

The Giant Rat of Sumatra by Sid Fleischman
Children's Fiction

Reviewed by Max

My book report is on Sid Fleischman's historical adventure, "The Giant Rat of Sumatra, or Pirates Galore." Well, it's actually the story of my adventure with Mexican Pirates.

My names is Edmund Amos Peters, and I am a 12-year-old boy from New England. The pirates nickname my "Shipwreck" because they find me after my stepfather's ship sinks. I am the only survivor.

The other main character, Captain Gallows, decides to save my life and puts me to work on his ship. As cabin boy, I polish boots and get pirates things they need.

Captain Gallows' ship is called "The Giant Rat of Sumatra" because it has a rat as its figurehead. Usually, ships have ladies or mermaids as their figureheads, but ours has a rat with emerald eyes and huge fangs.

When I meet him, Captain Gallows wants to give up being a pirate, so he sails his ship to San Diego, California, to find his long-lost love, a lady bandit called "Senorita Wildcat." The year is 1846, so San Diego is still part of Mexico.

I learned some Spanish words from this book. "Senorita" is the Spanish word for Miss and "Don" is not just a name, it is also a Spanish title, which means "Mr." The Captain is now calling himself Don Alejandro, and has new clothes and a new business - buying leather.

I am still with him and he has given me his treasure to hold - the emerald eyes of the Giant Rat, which are worth a fortune. They are sewed into my coat.

Then an American warship comes into San Diego harbor because the United States is at war with Mexico. The Captain tries to use his old pirate ship to stop the Americans, but he can't, and the Americans claim the city.

Although Senorita Wildcat robs the Captain, she doesn't get the emeralds from me until he marries her.

I go back to New England to live with my mother when other American ships come into the harbor. Then I resume my life as a typical American boy.

I like this story of my adventures because it is about ships and pirates. It also taught me some American history I didn't know.

My favorite part is when the American warship battles the Giant Rat of Sumatra. The only thing I didn't like is the romance between Captain Gallows and Senorita Wildcat. I wish he'd stayed a pirate.