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Three siblings, Pada, Rama, and Polli, go on a scavenger hunt that their mother has arranged in their home. With help from a friendly dragon, they use teamwork to find clues, decipher their meanings, and make progress towards the solution. The participants demonstrate respect for the property of others as well as their appreciation of one another and their mother. However, for the siblings, hunting and cooperation are combined with pranks and an occasional accident or misinterpretation of a clue. After they find a treasure map, they decide to venture to Pirate King Island. There, they meet a friendly pirate king named Lars, who shows them the treasures that he has amassed, and they have a visit loaded with information. At the end of the day, Lars urges them to go home before their mama begins to worry, wishing them a safe trip home with a friendly farewell.
This story for young people intersperses adventure and fun with the characters. It teaches about having a sense of responsibility for the feelings, experiences, and possessions of others. The siblings' desire for new experiences is tempered by their knowledge of the need to keep their environment clean, not to take anything that doesn't belong to them, to obey social rules, and focus on positive stories and experiences, such as learning that a pirate king can be welcoming and caring, and a dragon thoughtful and helpful. The illustrations, which depict the siblings as Ewok-like beings, add to the gentle and caring themes of the story. Caldwell teaches that life can combine adventure with personal and social responsibilities and positive emotions.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review