If you go to Puddletown High Street you’ll find many normal shops. There’s also a “most unusual shop”, the Story Shop.

“The Story Shop sells adventures you can BE in. With real characters you’ll actually meet!”

Wilbur, the shopkeeper, and Fred Ferret, his assistant, are ready to help facilitate your next story adventure.

Famous explorer Pearl Johnson wants to experience something new. After Wilbur and Fred add story specific items to the Story Pot, including a blank book for her adventures to be recorded on, Pearl sets off on an adventure.

With Fred and Edie the parrot by her side, Pearl is ready to be a pirate. Pearl learns that pirates aren’t all alike when she goes treasure hunting. She attempts to outwit and outcheat other pirates in a competition. Finally, she aims to regale other pirates with her most interesting stories and hunts pirate ghosts.

The first in a new series with endless possibilities, Anchors Away! has plenty of swashbuckling action. Tony Neal’s illustrations are a lot of fun. I particularly enjoyed seeing Meg’s puffer-fish slippers.

Be on the lookout for the Enchanted Rose from Beauty & the Beast and a Ghostbusters uniform.

I’m looking forward to reading about the next Story Shop customer’s dinosaur adventures.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book.