From Justin Somper, award-winning author of the Vampirates series, comes a new swashbuckling fantasy adventure series. Welcome to Pirate Academy! The year is 2507 and a new dawn of piracy has begun. Jacoby Blunt and Jasmine Peacock are students at the elite Pirate Academy. But this is no ordinary pirate school: lessons range from Knots Class and Sailing to Combat Workshop. The teachers are all pirate legends, and the pressure is always on. When a mysterious new kid arrives with a terrible secret, Jacoby and Jasmine's training is put to the test. Suddenly the dangers are no longer simply out on the oceans but right here, amongst them. In the face of real peril, Jacoby, Jasmine, and the students of Barracuda class must battle against a ruthless and seemingly unstoppable new enemy—before time runs out and all their lives are at stake. "An action-packed series opener."— Kirkus "All the rip-roaring adventure you would expect from a Justin Somper book."—Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series "A gloriously action-packed adventure, full of characters you really care about."—Cressida Cowell, bestselling author of How To Train Your Dragon "An exciting blend of mysterious intrigue, hearty chuckles, and swashbuckling adventure—with a futuristic twist. Don't miss the boat on this one!"—Ben Costa, co-author of the Dungeoneer Adventures series Justin Somper is the award-winning author of ten books for middle-grade and teen readers, including the Vampirates series, which has been published in thirty-five countries and twenty-five languages, as well as Allies & Assassins and its sequel, A Conspiracy of Princes. A Brit by birth, Justin relocated to Perth, Western Australia, with his Aussie husband, PJ, in 2022. Here, Justin has been writing the Pirate Academy adventures—in between refreshing dips in the Indian Ocean, inspiring visits to lighthouses, and long-overdue sailing lessons. Learn more at justinsomper.com. Teo Skaffa has lived in many places but currently lives in an abandoned school building in the outskirts of the city of Groningen in the north of the Netherlands. Besides making art, he likes the color pink, synthesizers, and making music with outdated technology under the name A Ghost in the Woods. He does NOT like room-temperature watermelon. He likes drawing creepy-cute atmospheric scenes and characters, and is grateful that he’s able to make a living by drawing, especially since he’s not particularly good at anything else. Jasmine Peacock sat on a bench, beneath a tall Flame Tree, at the top of Swashbuckle Hill. Swashbuckle Hill was the highest point of Pirate Academy’s lush sweep of gardens. According to school legend, the hill had been given its name by the first students to step foot inside Pirate Academy, thirteen years ago. It was strange to think that the Academy was only thirteen years old. Only two years older than me, Jasmine thought. She had arrived here when she was seven years old. Pirate Academy was so much more than her school—­it was her second home. She knew that the feeling was shared by every one of her classmates. There were just fifteen students in each year, drawn from the most famous and successful pirate families. It was tough to get a place here, and you had to work hard to keep it. Jasmine felt proud to be an Academy student. The young students of Barracuda Class were bathed in golden light from the rays of the setting sun. All eyes were locked on the harbor below, where flaming torches had been lit to mark the entrance to the school. Tonight was a very special night for Barracuda Class. It was Captains’ Evening, which began with all of their parents sailing their ships to Skullhead Rock, ten nautical miles away, then racing against each other to the finish at the Academy harbor. “Feeling confident?” came a familiar voice at Jasmine’s ear. “The Peacocks always come in first, right?” Jasmine smiled as her friend Jacoby Blunt sat down beside her. “We’ll see,” she said. “We shall indeed!” Jacoby’s legs drummed excitedly on the ground. He turned away from Jasmine to beckon over his roommate. “Wing! Wing! Come over here! It’s starting!” Wing waved and jogged over to join his friends. “What’s the emergency, Blunt?” “Take a look yourself,” Jacoby answered. “I think you’re about to win!” Wing’s eyes zeroed in on the harbor as the first ship sailed into view. It was a very fine ship with ten sails, its main mast over fifty feet tall. And, of course, a skull-­and-­crossbones flag flew high on top, flapping in the evening breeze. “Go, Mum!” Wing cried, fist-­pumping the air. A chorus of groans came from his classmates. “Bad luck, Jasmine!” Jacoby said. “It’s a Moon victory tonight.” Jasmine shrugged. She was pleased for Wing. She saw how proudly he watched the Enigma , the glorious ship captained by Raven Moon, slide into dock. “I told Dad it was our turn to win!” moaned Cosmo. His family ran one of the most powerful pirate fleets in