A Pirate's Life for Me

Categories: Children's Books

With the new pirate-themed exhibit coming soon to the Museum Center, and the final movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy opening next week, the swashbucklers’ invasion of the Queen City is upon us.

There are many literary pirate treasures to uncover here at the library: from classics, to newer tales of adventures of yore.  There are even books that will teach you how to speak like a pirate, just in case you want to learn how to talk the talk to avoid walking the walk (down the plank).

With all these riches, though, it’s important that the youngest buccaneers not be overlooked, and aye, indeed, Matey, we’ve got just the books for them as well!  How I Became a Pirate, by Melinda Long,  and Edward and the Pirates, by David McPhail, are two stories bound to enthrall the youngest adventurers, while tickling their funny bone at the same time.

Melinda Long’s buoyantly jolly picture book, How I Became a Pirate, features a modern-day boy who has an encounter with a gang of seafaring lads.  Jeremy Jacob is busy digging a sand castle when some pirates happen by.   Impressed by his digging skills, they decide Jeremy is just the man (or boy) to help them bury their treasure.  Not having much to do at the moment, Jeremy agrees, on the condition that they return him in time for his soccer game the next day.  Jeremy at first has a great time with his new friends; he loves their disdain for such practices as table manners, or eating your vegetables.   When nighttime comes, however, and he discovers that pirates are also anti-bedtime story, as well as dismissive of the bedtime tuck in, (“No tucking!” they chant), Jeremy begins to wonder if a pirate’s life is indeed the life for him.

Edward and the Pirates tells the rollicking tale of a boy whose newly discovered love of reading, particularly love of adventure stories, prompts a visit from some pirates, just as Edward is falling asleep.   Seems the swashbucklers are convinced that their treasure map is hidden in the pirate book Edward’s reading, Alas, Edward has borrowed the book from the library, and is determined to return it, even if the pirates aren’t as scrupulous about following library rules.

These stories are perfect to read aloud to a child not yet ready for more grownup pirate tales.  With their combination of humorous adventures with bold, enchanting illustrations  (Caldecott honor-winning David Shannon does the illustrations for Long's book), these two books are their own treasure chests.  Discovering how both Jeremy's and Edward's escapades turn out will delight would-be buccaneers of all ages.