Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter (Hardcover)

by Richard Platt (Author), Chris Riddell (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The duo behind Castle Diary returns with a swashbuckling sortie into pirate waters. Set in 1716, the tale unfolds through the diary entries of a nine-year-old North Carolina lad who goes to sea with his uncle. Young Jake's excitement dims when wicked Captain Nick exacts a cruel penalty for clumsiness (Jake accidentally drops a bucket overboard), flogging his Uncle Will in Jake's stead and setting him adrift. The tables are turned, however, when pirates capture the ship and abandon Captain Nick on an island. Jake and his shipmates take up with their captors, and there are adventures aplenty, including a mermaid sighting, a storm, a raid on a Spanish camp and an eventual reunion with Will. With seeming effortlessness, Platt weaves vast quantities of nautical information into a text as lively as it is absorbing ("In pirates' slang there are one hundred words for `drunk' and just one for `sober' "). While he does not romanticize piracy, the author displays a keen eye for the sort of gorier details that young buccaneers will relish, e.g., the primitive surgery performed by the ship's carpenter. Making exuberant use of the oversize format, Riddell's illustrations include spot illustrations, dramatic full-page and full-spread scenes and a detailed cutaway view of the ship. With their verve and puckish humor, they easily transport readers to high times on the high seas. Ages 9-13.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Gr 4-7-This oversized book follows the same format as Platt's Castle Diary (Candlewick, 1999). Here, young Jake Carpenter leaves home in 1716 and becomes involved in an adventure in piracy. His detailed journal entries provide many colorful stories of life on the high seas. There are whippings, threats of death, and maggot-enriched food. A crewmate's leg is shattered during a battle and later amputated, and there is a burial at sea. The boy's uncle (and crewmate) is cast out in a small boat with little hope of survival, and the ship's captain is marooned on a deserted island. Myriad ink-and-watercolor illustrations help illuminate the dramatic events. In one double-page picture, the ship Greyhound is seen in labeled cross-section; another depicts a huge wave sweeping over the deck, and there are two action-packed scenes of pirate attacks. A clear map at the back pinpoints where the story takes place. Although fiction, much of the book is based on fact, as explained in the appended notes. There's also a short history of piracy and mention of infamous rogues. Kids looking for adventure will certainly find plenty of it here.

Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763608483
• ISBN-13: 978-0763608484
• Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 10.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,257,112 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Early Read, April 19, 2004

By	David Stapleton (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Pirate Diary Journal of Jake Carpenter (Paperback)

A good read for young children with an interest in pirates. Written in diary fashion, it makes a good story to read to a child at bedtime with lots of convenient places to stop. The author uses a good deal of nautical terminology, but does a good job of explaining it all within the context of story.

The story revolves around the diary of a young boy off to sea for his first time. He ends up with pirates when his ship is captured and after a few adventures returns home to accept a pardon. Richard Platt has authored several children's books about pirates and does justice to the reality of life at sea and with pirates without getting too graphic.

The illustrations are entertaining pen drawings that contribute to the story, although the style takes a bit of getting used to (I'm still not sure I like it). The book also includes a brief overview of the history of piracy and some famous pirates. The index also doubles as a glossary of some of the terms used. P-)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars holds a six year old's attention, January 4, 2006

By	Nicholas Dujmovic (Vienna, Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was concerned at first at the amount of text in this book, and it's written in a faux-early 18th century English style (but applied moderately, for atmosphere). Yet, my son loved hearing it read to him (ok, I do a fairly good pirate imitation, me buckos). He was interested in every diary entry, thanks to the structure of the narrative that poses problems and then surprising resolutions. The artwork is a big plus, too, with much to look at and discover. Recommended!

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful books but get the 1st Edition!, February 2, 2008

By	Value Mommy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter (School & Library Binding)

These diary books by Richard Platt are absolutely wonderful! I can't praise them highly enough as great works of historical fiction for young children. My five year old son couldn't get enough of Castle Diary. He loved it so much that I recently purchased the Pirate Diary for him. I didn't pay attention to editions or dimensions. I just purchased it. Well, it was tiny, about 5x6 compared to the large and lavish 10x13 first edition Castle Diary that we own. Also, instead of full page, full color illustrations there were black and white sketches here and there. So, I checked out the Castle Diary book again on Amazon and the same thing has been done. Look carefully at what you're ordering. The first editions are very large and gorgeously illustrated in full color with the text interspersed throughout. The editions available now are much smaller. They are mainly text with a few black and white sketches.

I am so saddened by what they have done to these books. In their original form, they are five star books for sure. I can only give four stars to the newer editions, however. The writing is the same but they have lost their picture book charm which made them accessible to younger kids. Even for older kids, however, a picture is worth a thousand words and would surely be greatly appreciated.

In short, I would rather own a used first edition of these books than a brand new copy of the modified version. I'll be returning this one and I've already ordered a copy of the first edition for my son. I do think the paperback of Pirate Diary is available in an 8x10 size. It looks like it might have the original content but you can't search inside. At any rate, I prefer a hardback. I just wanted to point out the difference to prospective buyers.