Laura Leuck
Illustrated by Kyle M Stone
PreSchool-Grade 2—In well-fashioned rhyming text, a little boy takes readers through a day onboard his father's ship, listing all of the reasons he loves his pirate-captain dad: "I love my pirate papa!/He's the bravest buccaneer./He helps me put my earring on/and buckles up my gear." After a day full of adventures together, the man tucks his son into his bunk, reads him a book about Captain Hook, and kisses him goodnight saying: "I spent my life a-plundering./My treasures bring me joy./But there's nothing I prize more than you,/my dearest pirate boy." Bright, jewel-toned acrylic and mixed-media cartoon illustrations add to the fun, drawing children into the main elements of a pirate's life—ferocious crew, skull-and-crossbones flag, desert island, etc.—but also offering interesting humorous details sprinkled throughout the pages, such as the skinny mice in almost every scene who participate in the action. The father sports an eye patch, tricorne, and unbelievably long mustache, all authentic but somehow managing not to look too scary. Both front and back endpapers display a pirate treasure map. Given the fascination children have for the topic and the relative scarcity of easy pirate books, this tale will surely be met with delight by the youngest buccaneers.
