Captain Slaughterboard drops anchor [Hardcover]

Mervyn Laurence Peake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1939

On a fantastic island populated by unusual animals, a pirate captain finds a trustworthy companion in the little "Yellow Creature."

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Back in the 1930s, a young man named Mervyn Peake fled the pressures of modern society for the Channel Islands in hopes of living a free, bohemian life with his wife and two sons. Each Sunday, he would draw pictures of pirates, comical animals, and shipboard scenarios for his family's amusement. Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor, first published in 1939, is a stunning collection of those marvelously detailed illustrations and a splendid, swashbuckling story to boot. As the salty sea captain's name might suggest, he is as bloodthirsty a pirate as they come. One day, blue-tattooed mate Charlie Choke spies a pink island on the horizon. "'Pink!' shouted the Captain, leaping to his feet. 'That's just the sort I like. Sail me there and hurry up or I'll chop you all up into mincemeat.'"

On the island, they capture the gentle Yellow Creature (much to its glee) and bring it back to their boat. The other island inhabitants, all purple, silently watch the Y.C. leave, except for the bottom-dwelling Plummet who "couldn't see that anything was happening, but he felt it was." Suffice it to say that this nonsensical Lewis Carrollific, Edward Learesque story is a pure delight. Peake's imaginative, R. Crumb-style illustrations of pirate life and fanciful creatures are rich with detail that children will love examining at length. To top it all off, he offers a story of unlikely friendship of a ferocious pirate who comes to wonder how he could have ever enjoyed battle so much and the Yellow Creature, who is an expert at lounging around and eating fruit. Eccentric, playful, and as utterly original as all of Mervyn Peake's work (The Ghormenghast trilogy), Captain Slaughterboard is a classic that well deserves this no-less-than-fantastic recasting. Yo-ho! (Ages 6 and older) --Karin Snelson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

When an unprincipled pirate alights on a pink island, he forms an unlikely alliance with a lonely Yellow Creature in Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor (1939) by Mervyn Peake. Intricate line drawings of the motley crew "Jonas Joints, the first mate," "Charlie Choke" and "Peter Poop" the cook among them share quarters with his hand-lettered text.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 46 pages
• Publisher: [Country Life] (1939)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00089KIV4
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,203,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Swashbuckling Pirate Adventure....., December 11, 2001

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor (Hardcover)

Captain Slaughterboard was a mean and ferocious pirate who made hundreds of men walk the plank, and along with his nasty crew, Billy Bottle, Jonas Joints, Timothy Twitch, Charlie Choke, and Peter Poop, the cook with a cork nose, he traveled the oceans looking for battles and adventure. Then one morning, while looking through his telescope, he spied a beautiful pink island inhabited by "preposterous creatures." Once he and his crew had landed, they captured the "Yellow Creature", and took him back to their ship. And that, as they say, was the beginning of a beautiful and unusual friendship..... Though Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor was originally published in 1939, it's as fresh and entertaining today, as it was over sixty years ago. Mervyn Peake's magical and whimsical text transports children to a pirate ship on the high seas for a once in a lifetime adventure. But it's Mr Peake's amazingly detailed illustrations, full of imaginative and engaging characters, that really makes this picture book stand out. Together, word and art create a timeless masterpiece. Perfect for youngsters 5 and older, Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor is a wonderful read-aloud classic the entire family can enjoy, and a treasure to share with friends and pass on to future generations.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I bet you can't just read just one page and put it down!, December 2, 2001

By 

Stephen H. Olsen "Captain Steve" (Wichita, Kansas when not at SEA!) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor (Hardcover)

From cover to the last page I found that my 6 year old friend could not put this book down. The illustrations will make adults long for quality books for our children. The text though written in 1939 is fitting for todays adventure seeking youth and it is truely a book for the 4 to 8 or 4 to 80 age group.
Being a Master Captain, I had a natural likeness for such a seafaring book but the relationship and transformation that occurs in Captain Slaughterboard because of a warm little fruit eating creature found on a pink Island is a lesson for land lubbers and cattle ranchers as well as those with seafaring interests. I had to buy a copy for my own collection. The illustrations of this book are pure art and nothing less.
You have to buy this 1939 classic no matter what age you are and if you don't like it I will buy it.
Capt. Steve Olsen

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yellow Creature Lives!, December 3, 2001

By 

C. Portner "Casle" (Johntown, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor (Hardcover)

Yo Ho! Your news about the reprinting of "Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor" sent me searching my shelves for my tattered old copy. Out of the disgusting pirates, Charlie Choke (he was covered all over with dreadful drawings in blue ink) was my favorite. And a harder choice, the Plummet (underwater, he couldn't see anything happening but he could feel that it was) was my favorite creature. I think. This story of the capture of Yellow Creature and how it changes Captain Slaughterboard has been the first book I think of when I think of pirates. The black and white line drawings were too tempting for me as a child. I'm afraid I colored some of them (says the librarian, ashamed). And, as a creative teenager, I recreated the Plummet, the Hunchabil, and the Saggerdroop "with his meloncholy eyes as rich as topaz" with my needle and embroidery thread. This book should be on every child's shelf. See what creativity it can spark in them! For more excellent pirate stories try High Wind in Jamaica for older kids and Captain Abduls Pirate School for a great read aloud picture book.