The Gingerbread Pirates [Hardcover]

Kristin Kladstrup (Author), Matt Tavares (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

What if a brave Captain Cookie stood up to Santa? A fresh, funny story that sparkles with all the excitement of a pirate adventure — and all the magic of Christmas morning.

It’s Christmas Eve, and Jim and his mother are making pirate gingerbread men to leave for Santa. Jim’s favorite is Captain Cookie, who carries a gingerbread cutlass and has a toothpick peg leg. The captain is much too good to be eaten, so Jim keeps him close by his bed. But late that night, when Jim is fast asleep, Captain Cookie steptaps away on a daring adventure to find his pirate crew — and rescue them from that mysterious character he’s heard about: a cannibal named Santa Claus. At once contemporary and timeless, suspenseful and joyous, this masterfully illustrated tale is destined to be a new holiday classic.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3–After Jim and his mother bake pirate gingerbread men for Santa's snack, toothpick-legged Captain Cookie undertakes a daring rescue of his crew from the hungry–but understanding–Santa Claus, who works a magical transformation. When Jim awakes Christmas morning, he finds under the Christmas tree not only a magnificent toy pirate ship, but also a peg-legged captain and crew onboard. An exciting story and full-page, dramatically composed paintings depicting harrowing adventures with a mouse, a cat, and the crew imprisoned in a cookie jar make this a good holiday read-aloud.–Maureen Wade, Los Angeles Public Library END

About the Author

Kristin Kladstrup is the author of the middle-grade novel THE BOOK OF STORY BEGINNINGS. She lives near Boston, Massachusetts.

Matt Tavares is the illustrator of LADY LIBERTY by Doreen Rappaport; JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, retold by E. Nesbit; and ’TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. He lives in Ogunquit, Maine.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (September 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763632236
• ISBN-13: 978-0763632236
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 0.4 x 11.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Gingerbread Pirates, October 23, 2009

By 

L. Blaine "Lakerlulu" (BluBottle Bay, MN, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Gingerbread Pirates (Hardcover)

Reading "The Gingerbread Pirates" is our new family tradition. In early December we'll bake & decorate gingerbread pirates for our friends & Santa. Precious happy time with our kids. Delightful story & illustrations. Love this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for Families, November 6, 2009

By 

Sue (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gingerbread Pirates (Hardcover)

What a wonderful book! Great story and awesome illustrations. This will surely be a new holiday tradition in our household. Thanks, Kristin and Matt!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illustrations, great book!, November 6, 2009

By 

Leslie S. Francavilla "LSF" (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gingerbread Pirates (Hardcover)

Wonderful story and beautiful illustrations. Can't wait to read it to my niece! It will definitely be a holiday tradition at our house. I'm purchasing several for gifts!