A boat captain and his men battle Bill McGrew and his pirate crew on the Erie Canal in a rhyming tale inspired by a folksong.
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Pirates move from the high seas to a manmade channel in The Erie Canal Pirates, from the team behind Grizz!, author Eric A. Kimmel and illustrator Andrew Glass. Inspired by the folk song "The Erie Canal," the tale follows Captain Flynn and his crew as they are besieged by bad guys: "It was Bill McGrew and his pirate crew,/ The Terror of Buffalo,/ The Terror of Buffalo." Glass's unique blend of hyperbole and folk art strikes just the right note.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4-A tall tale about an encounter between intrepid Captain Flynn and pirate Bill McGrew as they make their way along the Erie Canal. Flynn's crew battles the pirates on the water while on shore their mule, Frank, defends his hay from a one-eyed pirate mule. Eventually, Flynn navigates up Niagara Falls while the Erie pirates sink beneath the turbulent river. Glass's illustrations of the ramshackle boats and their motley crews emphasize the humorous elements and minimize any potential scariness. However, lumpy figures that appear slightly out of focus and muddied colors limit the visual appeal. Kimmel patterned his verse on the folksong that begins "We were forty miles from Albany." Unfortunately, he provides no music, and the bumpy verse doesn't have much rhythm of its own. Although there might be some regional interest in this book, most libraries will be better served by Peter Spier's interpretation of the song in his The Erie Canal (Doubleday, 1970).
Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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More About the Author
Eric A. Kimmel is well known for the tales he has retold from around the world. Some of his best-known titles are "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" (a Caldecott Honor book), "Gershon's Monster", "Anansi and the Talking Melon", and "The Runaway Tortilla". A former professor of children's literature, he lives in Portland, Oregon.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
rhyming text! a good pirate picture book for youngsters,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Erie Canal Pirates (Hardcover)
In rhyming text, the author tells the tale of a mail boat on the Erie Canal. The boat is besieged by pirates, but the crew intends to keep its pay (the payroll is targeted). Based on a folk song, the plot is unpredictable, but moves slowly enough that young readers and listeners can understand it. The mule leads the mail boat's men to victory, and the pirates are defeated. My son, aged four, usually roots for the pirates, of course, but The Erie Canal Pirates sees them defeated, and he's not disappointed. I rate this as a nice companion book to other pirate picture books, such as Tough Boris, by Mem Fox.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Erie Canal Pirate Adventure,
A Kid's Review
This review is from: The Erie Canal Pirates (Hardcover)
Do you like pirates or know someone who does? If you do, then this is the book for you. The Erie Canal Pirates by Eric A. Kimmel is outrageously entertaining and you will enjoy it every time you read it. I recommend this book for a 2nd or 3rd grader. If you're a parent and have a child in 2nd or 3rd grade, then you will enjoy reading the book to your child and your child will enjoy listening.
The book is about a captain and his crew that spot a ship. The captain and the crew of the other ship are the terror of Buffalo. The two crews fight each other, but find themselves heading for Niagara Falls. What will happen to the crews and the ships? Read the book to find out. Even though the book has a story, it is actually a pirate version of the original Erie Canal song. This book is slightly confusing, but the pictures help you out. The pictures by Andrew Glass are funny, but a little sloppy. The theme of the book matches the setting and characters. I'd give this book a 3 out of 5 rating. The story is entertaining and the plot is pretty original. I think that the pictures could have been better and the story could have had more action in it. Also, the language was not very pirate-like. Overall, the story was funny and the pictures were even funnier. The song form of the story was a creative way to bind a story and a song. Whoever reads this book will laugh out loud. The Erie Canal Pirates is something I strongly recommend. This funny and entertaining book is a "must read." Little children will enjoy the pictures and rhyming words. Parents will enjoy reading it to their child. If you get this book I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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