Luke is the coolest sixth grader at Benjamin Wright Middle School. But when his dad dies unexpectedly-leaving the family penniless-his world is turned upside down.

Forced to move with his family to Grandma's house on Blackbeard Creek in the marsh, Luke must adjust to a strange, new life on the Georgia coast. In addition to the stress of being the new kid in school, Luke finds himself constantly teased and bullied by his mean cousin Buck.

Just when he thinks life can't get much worse, Luke almost drowns on a cold, moonless night while mullet jumping. Then, after Luke and Buck get into a fight on the school bus, their principal takes them to his primitive island for the weekend to work out their issues.

Unfortunately, the boys and their principal get kidnapped by wild-hog-poaching pirates. Luke and Buck know their families can't afford to pay any amount of ransom money. Will they be able to set aside their differences long enough to save themselves and their principal, and escape from Little Pirates Island?