When Pirates Came to Brooklyn — Phyllis Shalant

Lee Bloom is drawn to the mysterious house on Ave J, where she meets Polly Burke, a girl who has indoor shipwrecks and poisoned-tea parties, and is taking flying lessons.Soon Polly recruits Lee to help fight the pirates that are coming to Brooklyn in a cloudship galleon. But pirates aren't the only menace in Brooklyn in 1960. The bigotry of the girls' mothers threatens to destroy their friendship, unless they can figure out a way around it-or above it!

*Best Books of 2002, Bank Street College of Education
*Top 10 Books for Youth About Religion, Booklist