Attack of the Sea Dogs (Time Keys, book 4)

By Author / Illustrator

MG Leonard

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Macmillan Children's Books

ISBN

9781035024384

Format

Paperback

Published

17-09-2026

Synopsis

Swashbuckling action adventure meets time travel in the fourth title in this epic series by bestselling award-winner MG Leonard. Perfect for 8- to 12-year-old fans of Adventures on Trains. Illustrated throughout in black and white by Manuel Šumberac.

Sim, Jeopardy, and Nelson time travel back to 1587, the year leading up to the Spanish Armada. They quickly find themselves in dangerous territory aboard Sir Francis Drake's ship the Elizabeth Bonaventure . . .

The Attack of the Sea Dogs can be read as a stand-alone novel, or enjoyed as part of the thrilling Time Keys series written by M. G. Leonard. Follow Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson's adventures in Ancient Egypt, Hunt for the Golden Scarab, Viking Norway in The Legend of Viking Thunder and Ancient Rome in The Impossible Gladiator. All titles support the key stage 2 curriculum.

Praise for the Time Keys series: 'Thrilling time-travel adventure' - The Guardian; 'Readers are going to fall in love with this brilliant series' - A. F. Steadman, bestselling author of Skandar; 'Classic and fresh - a breathtaking adventure' - Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl; 'Fabulous, fast-paced and thrilling' - Jonathan Stroud, author of the Lockwood & Co. series; 'Fast, dramatic, exciting' - Hannah Gold.

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Reviews

Beverley

Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson are off on another time-travelling adventure! This time, they are heading for Tudor England, accompanied by Jeopardy's father, Emmett, and without the knowledge of Sim's mother, Callidora. The children believe they are going to search for Sim's father, Abe, to prevent him from dying from the plague which is shortly to ravage London.

However, Emmett has other ideas and the children find themselves aboard Sir Francis Drake's ship, the Elizabeth Bonaventure, sailing for Cadiz. Drake is about to attack the Spanish, who are amassing an armada with the intention of invading England. Finding themselves in the right time, but the wrong place, the children escape on a boat back to England, determined to carry on with their quest to save Sim's father.

The Time Keys series just gets better and better! Attack of the Sea Dogs is a brilliantly researched story, full of historical facts and adventure. We are given an account of the Singeing of the King of Spain's Beard, meet Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare, and visit the Tower of London in an action-packed romp through London.

The reintroduction of character Kabir, who helped the children in the last book and consequently is in prison, is a great addition to the story. Released by Callidora, he helps her to catch up with Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson, and becomes a valuable member of their team. We are left on something of a cliffhanger; it seems the search for Sim's father will carry on into the next novel in the series - a great excuse for more thrilling adventures!

This is a well-written and cleverly plotted book which would be a great addition to any classroom library, particularly if the Tudor period is being studied. Nelson's diary and the Time Key's Guide to Tudor Times, which feature at the end of the novel, are very useful in giving the reader extra information about this fascinating period of history. Special mention also to Manuel Sumberac for his atmospheric illustrations which are a great accompaniment to the book. Highly recommended - I can't wait for the next instalment!

256 pages / Reviewed by Beverley Somerset, school librarian