Edward and the Pirates [Hardcover]

David McPhail (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Reading everything he can after learning how to read, young Edward finds his imagination soaring and particularly enjoys adventure stories, and one day he wakes up to find himself surrounded by pirates.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

David McPhail--award-winning author and illustrator of more than 40 books, including Santa's Book of Names--has created another delightful book about Edward, a voracious reader of anything he can get his hands on, even seed catalogs in a pinch. One night, while reading a book about pirates, Edward finds himself surrounded by the salty sailors who think his book might tell them where their treasure is buried. They beg, threaten, and bribe him to no avail, but when Edward's father scares the pirates with a shower of arrows, Edward feels sorry for them and relinquishes the book. As it turns out, the pirates can't read, so Edward reads the book aloud to them. Kids will love the big, dramatic paintings (moody acrylics on canvas) and the rollicking story of how, with a little imagination, a book can come to life. (Ages 4 to 8)

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3. Edward is an endearing, studious-looking little boy who reads everything he can get his hands on?"Cereal boxes at the breakfast table...seed catalogs that arrived on the coldest day of winter, the inscription on the monument in the town square, and books?all kinds of books." Edward becomes so involved that whatever he reads seems to be real. One day at the local library he finds a volume entitled Lost Pirate Treasure and takes it home; that night pirates invade his bedroom, demanding that he hand over the book. In the ruckus that ensues, the child bravely refuses (it's checked out on HIS card, after all), but generously ends up reading it aloud to the pirates, who never learned how themselves. McPhail's tale colorfully shows the magical worlds a good book can create. The acrylic on canvas illustrations have a fantastical appearance, especially when Edward leaps into action with Admiral Peary, Robin Hood, and Joan of Arc. Edward and the Pirates will make a great read-aloud as it encourages children to read and discover the fun and adventure in books.?Christina Linz, Macon Technical Institute Library, GA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316563447
• ISBN-13: 978-0316563444
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 0.5 x 12.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #549,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Alligators & Crocodiles

More About the Author

DAVID McPHAIL is the creator of dozens of wonderful books, including Big Brown Bear's Up and Down Day; Sisters; Mole Music, a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year; and several recent Green Light Readers for Harcourt. He lives in New Hampshire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for both boys and girls, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Edward and the Pirates (Hardcover)

Would a 4 year old girl who's totally into the Disney Princesses like a book about pirates? It turns out that this book is not exactly about pirates, but about a little boy and his imagination. My 4 year old niece loves the book, so don't think it's just for boys!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An imaginative young pirate-lover's reading adventure, March 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Edward and the Pirates (Hardcover)

This richly illustrated, imaginative story was an instant favorite with our 3-year old pirate afficionado. Edward's passion for reading has inspired our son to discover reading by himself is its own adventure. The painterly style in Mc Phail's illustrations add a flavor of mystery and allow readers to season the story with their own imaginative details. I'm hoping for a sequel!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars all-around great book about pirates and imagination, January 19, 2003

By 

W. K. Miller "kenmiller32" (NC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Edward and the Pirates (Hardcover)

McPhail's picture book _Edward and the Pirates_ is about a young reader named Edward. Sometimes his imagination carries him away. Usually he gets involved in a book, and then he imagines himself in the plot, or imagines the plot coming to life. Then he goes to one of his favorite places, the library. He finds a book on pirates which begins "Some pirate treasure has never been found." Later, Edward takes the book home, begins to read, and then sometime during the night he imagines a pirate adventure which involves his library book, his parents, and a gang of ruthless-looking (but tame enough for a toddler) pirates.

The illustrations are very dark, yet this works to the book's advantage. My son has asked me to read _Edward and the Pirates_ to him a dozen times (my son is 3 1/2 years old), and he often finds new details amidst the dark illustrations.

The book sends a wonderful message about libraries (use them!) and reading (do it!) and imagination (use that too!), not to mention parents (they're the good guys!) and the imaginary episode is clearly written into the plot. Even my son realizes that there aren't really pirates in Edward's bedroom.

My son is intensely interested in pirates, and _Edward and the Pirates_ entertains him. The book sends wonderful messages while telling a strong story.

Highly recommended.

ken32