Avast! Captain Abdul’s ship, the Golden Behind, gains a diaper-clad new crewmember when Doris and the other pirate wives set out for a bit of pillaging on their own. The Captain is outraged—“What’s the woman thinkin’ of, dumpin’ a ninfant wi’ a bunch of fearsome pirates? It’s hirrisponsibul, HIRRISPONSIBUL!”—but then comes around. Little Treasure (as he’s dubbed) soon has Abdul and the rest of the scruffy crew wrapped around his chubby little finger, as they teach him pirate skills and sing him to sleep each night. McNaughton illustrates in his usual broad, busy cartoon style, outfitting everyone in appropriately piratical gear and giving Little Treasure a wooly orange shock of hair identical to the captain’s. In the end, so pleased are the wives with how well Little Treasure’s done that they drop off a full dozen tykes, transforming the Golden Behind, its figurehead newly clad in a Jolly Roger diaper, into a permanent nursery. A cautionary tale if ever there was one. (CD) (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-7636-3045-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2006
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Adventures in dinosaur husbandry—a bit bland but palatable fare for younger independent readers.
In this series kickoff for dinophiles (and who isn’t one?), a Wyoming dig yields an egg that’s not exactly fossilized.
Despite having to cope with obnoxious cousin Samantha and snoopy Aaron from the adjacent cattle ranch, 9-year-old Frank is thrilled to be summering with his grandparents at their dinosaur museum and dig site. Life takes a particularly exciting turn when his paleontologist grandmother finds a stone egg on ranch land. It not only becomes a bone of contention between her and Aaron’s avaricious dad, but hatches in the night, leaving Frank and Sam scrambling to keep little “Peanut”—depicted in the frequent ink-and-wash illustrations as a puppylike hadrosaur with soulful eyes and a stubby tail—secret from the grown-ups. Ultimately, though, the creature must be driven to the vet after chowing down on snack food, and while the adults are gone on that errand, the children work out a way to share ownership. McAnulty keeps characters and situations uncomplicated, and if self-absorbed Samantha comes off as more of a liability than an asset here, perhaps she’ll have a chance to redeem herself in future episodes.
Adventures in dinosaur husbandry—a bit bland but palatable fare for younger independent readers. (glossary) (Science fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-553-52191-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2015
Cast off, me hearties, and meet a dog that brings both the yo ho hos and the nose.
A pungent pup must prove his worth to a bumbling piratical crew.
Any owner of a rambunctious pup will instantly recognize a kindred spirit in shipyard pup Spike’s predilection for noxious smells. He’s the proud owner of the world’s most powerful proboscis, and any stink stunning to the olfactory centers is his delight. Employed to protect the cargo of incoming ships, Spike gets more than he bargained for when his pursuit of a colony of sea gulls lands him in the briny deep. A bucket of rotting fish bits proves his salvation but does his personal hygiene little good. Rescued by human Fishbeard and his scurvy buccaneers, Spike promises them that he can sniff out some treasure in exchange for a ride home. Unfortunately, what dogs consider treasure and what people consider treasure are two entirely different things. Though pirate animals sniffing out treasure are hardly new characters (viz. Cornelia Funke's The Pirate Pig, 2015), there’s a jaunty joie de vivre to Spike’s love of all that reeks. A true transitional book, the text is perfect for children working their way up to full chapter books. Paul Meisel’s full-color illustrations help liven up son Peter Meisel’s short chapters, and the story will keep readers guessing. Sequel Stinky Spike and the Royal Rescue publishes simultaneously.
Cast off, me hearties, and meet a dog that brings both the yo ho hos and the nose. (Adventure. 7-9)Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-61963-778-8
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2016
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