Good piratical fun.
A pirate rat and his fearless crew sail the seas—until a “monster” ends the voyage.
The captain of the pirate ship and his fellow travelers, a squirrel and cat, go sailing, conquering everything and fearing almost nothing. The bold shipmates pogo-stick across the heads of toothy crocodiles, dance merrily in the scary dead of night, and blow raspberries at a shark eyeing them hungrily, all ready for his meal, bib on and fork and knife in hand. And just as children would have it, there are no rules on the ship, and the merry trio eat and drink (without cleaning up, of course), bungee jump from the ship’s tall mast and paint the walls with reckless abandon. But then a giant, hairy foot appears, and trembling with fear, the pirates end their escapades. Through the ship’s portholes, readers see glimpses of the “BIG. Scary. VERY hairy” beast. As the monster’s paws pluck the cat and squirrel from the sea, the rat waves a tearful goodbye. Who is this fearsome beast? It’s the rat pirate’s mother, holding out a fuzzy towel for her little rat, who smiles back at her from the tub. And the cat and squirrel—tub toys—have been placed on the floor to dry. Adorable, mixed-media illustrations with lots of humorous touches will coax any little landlubber to the sea—er, bathtub.
Good piratical fun. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58925-143-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
A funny tale about stress and an ever upping ante, with a comforting end.
Something is preventing Owl from falling asleep.
Owl leans back against his white pillow and headboard. “Squeek!” says something underneath the bed. Owl’s never heard that sound before, so he fastens his pink bathrobe and answers the front door. Nobody. It must be the wind; back to bed. Bidding himself goodnight, he climbs into bed—and hears the noise again. Time after time, he pops out of bed seeking the squeaker. Is it in the cupboard? He empties the shelves. Under the floor? He pulls up his floorboards. As Owl’s actions ratchet up—he destroys the roof and smashes the walls, all in search of the squeak—so does his anxiety. Not until he hunkers down in bed under the night sky (his bed is now outdoors, because the house’s roof and walls are gone), frantically clutching his pillow, does he see what readers have seen all along: a small, gray mouse. In simple illustrations with black outlines, textured coloring, and foreshortened perspective, Pizzoli plays mischievously with mouse placement. Sometimes the mouse is behind Owl or just out of his sightline; other times, the mouse is on a solid, orange-colored page across the spread from Owl, which removes him from Owl’s scene in a rather postmodern manner. Is the mouse toying with Owl? Who knows?
A funny tale about stress and an ever upping ante, with a comforting end. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 19, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4847-1275-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
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