Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Too full of clever laughs to scare most young mateys.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
There be treasure abroad -- but is it worth the cost? A mysterious fiddler shares a treasure map with Captain Purplebeard and his greedy crew. After they set sail, he warns them of a pirate-eating monster, but the captain is undeterred. They press on, even as they grow increasingly unnerved by the fiddler’s terrifying song. The pirates, of course, run into the dreaded pirate cruncher -- the real surprise is how, exactly, they got there.
Is It Any Good?
Both menace and humor are surprisingly well combined in this book's lively illustrations. “I think treasure brings nothing but trouble!” squawks a macaw early in this cautionary tale. He’s right, of course, but like most adventures the real fun is in the journey. The eccentric crew’s thoughts are shown in cartoon bubbles, shifting from treasure to monsters, but they set aside their doubts. The abundant visual jokes -- a sleeping pirate cuddling a teddy bear with an eye patch, a tentacle salting an oblivious pirate’s breakfast egg -- infuse the deliciously dark story with sly humor.
This may not be good bedtime reading for sensitive kids -- aside from the monster issue, the dark tones of the early pages and the decorated font can make it a bit difficult to read in subdued lighting. Observant readers may pick up on the clever twist at the end early on, and those who miss the hints the first time will pore over the book to find all the clues. The fiddler's rhyming chantey has an easy, fun rhythm without going overboard on pirate talk.
The pirate cruncher’s long tentacles quietly curl through each page, pulling its prey ever closer. The gotcha ending is wonderfully played.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the pirates’ greed and the expression “blinded by greed.” How does greed affect this crew of pirates?
The pirates don’t gather much information before deciding to go off on this adventure. What questions would you have asked before deciding whether to go?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Jonny Duddle
- Genre : Adventure
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Templar Books
- Publication date : April 13, 2010
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 8
- Number of pages : 38
- Last updated : July 13, 2017
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