The Pirate Uncle [Hardcover]

Margaret Mahy (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Well-behaved Nicholas and Caroline try to reform their pirate uncle when they spend a holiday at his New Zealand beach home.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-Well-behaved, nine-year-old Nicolas and his younger sister, Caroline, are nervous about staying with the uncle they've never met while their parents are on vacation. When wildly bearded Uncle Ludovic begs the children to help reform him of piracy, they, not quite sure if he's joking, agree to try. Their vacation on the New Zealand shore is idyllic, filled with sunny days, long sails, rowing and swimming, and breakfast barbecues on the beach. Their uncle's friend Rosie becomes part of their lives when a dull, rainy day is transformed by a treasure hunt and secret picnic. Caroline suggests that Rosie might be able to continue their reformation of Ludovic by marrying him. Soon wedding plans are underway and the pirate sails off with his new bride. First published in Britain in 1977, this is a simply written, humorous story of a family getting to know one another. Behind his pirate facade, Ludovic is a free-spirited ship builder, estranged from Nicholas and Caroline's parents over old misunderstandings that are finally cleared up. This is a lively summer read, full of the sea, adventure, and discovery, and told with Mahy's trademark wit and verve. Full-page black-and-white sketches are scattered throughout.
Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-6. Shipped off by their parents to spend the holidays with their mysterious Uncle Ludovic, Nick and his sister Caroline begin the vacation with some trepidation. At their first meeting, Uncle Ludovic confesses that he has been a pirate and asks them to help to him reform, as old pirate habits die hard. Although neither of the children is totally taken in, each plays along with the idea, because at the beginning they're not quite sure and, as time passes, their uncle makes the ruse the occasion for so much fun. Readers may find themselves in the same boat: while the idea of a pirate has some initial appeal, the development of the book as an entertaining story about sympathetic and eccentric characters ultimately has more staying power. Ten attractive line drawings illustrate the story. This is the first American edition of a book published in Great Britain in 1977; its New Zealand setting could make it a popular and entertaining choice for those children-in-other-lands assignments. Carolyn Phelan

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Juvenile; 1st Amweican ed edition (November 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879515554
• ISBN-13: 978-0879515553
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,318,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Mahy lives in New Zealand and is internationally acknowledged as one of the most outstanding children's writers today. She is the author of more than two hundred books for children of all ages, two of which have received England's Carnegie Medal and others of which have garnered numerous citations from the American Library Association. She is also the recipient of An Order of New Zealand, the highest honor a citizen can receive. In 2006 she received the Hans Christian Andersen award for her contributions to international children's literature.