The Barefoot Book of PIRATES [Hardcover]

Richard Walker (Author), Olwyn Whelan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

This swashbuckling collection of pirate tales is brimful with drama and adventure on the high seas. Young children will meet fierce characters such as the captain in the German tale, Kobold and the Pirates; others, like young Mochimitsu in the Japanese tale, are friendly and funny. They will also meet the infamous Grace O Malley, one of Ireland s most feared pirates. Specially compiled for young readers, these tales are perfect for reading aloud.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Plumbing the storytelling traditions of diverse cultures, from Japan to Morocco to Persia, both Walker and Matthews come up with treasure for this smashing pair of themed anthologies. While a few tales are standards (e.g., "The Princess and the Pea," "Sleeping Beauty"), most are not. It will be news to most readers, for example, that Robin Hood once took a seaside holiday ("Robin Hood and the Pirates"), and that the list of famous swashbucklers includes an Irish woman ("Pirate Grace"). Many of the princesses, too, deviate from familiar patterns. The Chinese "Beggar Princess" survives an attempted drowning by her new husband, only to rise above him; a picky Iroquois princess atones for a foolish decision through her brave deeds ("The Horned Snake's Wife"). The prose in both volumes is top-notch?richly embellished and seamless. Whelan's effervescent artwork recalls Jane Ray's in composition, color and use of detail and borders. She tailors her delicate watercolors to each story's country of origin. "The Abbey Bells," for instance, a Scottish pirate tale, features plaid ship's sails. Each story is presented against a different background page color, and tiny thumbnail illustrations hover about the page numbers (a pair of violins for "Music Charms the Pirates"; ankle bracelets and crown for the African "Princess Who Lost Her Hair"). Superbly executed, these buoyant volumes are must-haves for storytellers and folk- and fairy-tale fans. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-Pirate tales with an international flavor are the focus of this collection. While yarns from Europe predominate, folklore from Japan and Morocco lends a broader scope. An entry from Ireland about the notorious Grace O'Malley balances somewhat the otherwise male representation. Source notes indicate that Walker has extensively researched the genre in order to make his uncommon selections. Unfortunately, the impact is diminished by bland retellings, and readers may find the tone of the tales too flat to suit the spirited topic of swashbuckling adventure. In addition, the full-color watercolor illustrations, while attractive, lack the verve and movement associated with stories of the high seas and rough characters. Fans of buccaneers, corsairs, and the like will probably be more gratified by high-quality nonfiction titles such as Philip Steele's Pirates (Kingfisher, 1997). Comprehensive folklore collections may benefit from this anthology of unusual legends.
Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1901223795
• ISBN-13: 978-1901223798
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,835,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about time!, December 26, 2000

By 

"womanlinks" (Townsend, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barefoot Book of PIRATES (Hardcover)

This gorgeously illustrated collection of Pirate lore from around the world is a refreshing switch from violence-glorification usually found in Pirate stories. The focus in these stories is on adventure rather than gore. I have younger kids, and although this book is aged for 9+, it was perfectly suitable for them.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars short stories of pirates, February 21, 2003

By 

microjoe - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barefoot Book of Pirates (Paperback)

This book features an enjoyable group of short stories about pirates, from different countries. No blood and guts here, although one tale from Africa is a little spooky. The stories can be read aloud, or read by elementary scholl readers. The softcover version of this is very nice, with a strong glossy cover with endflaps like a hardcover. The endflaps are to be used as bookmarks. Nice colorful painted illustrations on every page.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent Pirate Book, July 28, 2002

By 

Tracy Zerr (Kent, Washington USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barefoot Book of PIRATES (Hardcover)

I am the mother of two boys ages 3 and 4, who love Pirates. This is a great book. It gives you a collection of Pirate stories from around the world and we have a lot of fun picking which story we will read. A fun book for young and older.