Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When Captain Crave's mother sends him a checklist from a pirate magazine, he realizes that he's missing something important. "Eye patch?" the checklist reads. "Check," Captain Crave says. "Hook?" "Check it out!" he says, showing it off. "Peg leg?" "On me to-do list." "Pet?" "Pet?" Captain and crew leave their ship and swarm ashore, startling a beach full of sunbathers: "They caused quite a commotion, as good pirates should." A master of bubbly, sunshiny, high-spirited spreads, Myers (Cock-a-Doodle-Doo-Bop!) paints the pirates leaping the fence into a farm, storming the zoo (where an encounter with a lion lets Captain Crave cross "peg leg" off his to-do list), and, at last, the pet store. "Shiver me Shih Tzus," cries the captain. "Thar be piles of pets!" One with colorful feathers draws attention by pooping on his hat. Ferry (Land Shark) fills her yarn with loads of pirate lingo and affectionate pokes at pirate tradition, while Myers's luscious, thickly painted illustrations look as if they've been frosted. Readalouds don't come much rowdier. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-"Well, shuck me an oyster and set sail for land. We needs to find me a pet." And so begins the journey of Captain Crave and his shipmates to find an animal companion. The captain and his crew dock their ship and search farm, zoo, and beyond to find a pet suitable for a pirate captain, but they don't strike gold (pun absolutely intended) until they wander into the Pet Emporium, where they become acquainted with-what else? A parrot! This entertaining ride following the shenanigans of a group of landlocked pirates meeting a plethora of animals will be a hit with all ages. Kids will chuckle at the elephant, who is too big; the goat, who is too nibbly; and the lion, whose ferocious antics result in Captain obtaining that peg leg he's been meaning to get. Ferry's story and Myers's acrylic and oil paint illustrations are a perfect match-the details in the writing and the accompanying pictures are hilarious and smart, and the dialect will encourage children to try out their best pirate accents. Animated readers may find a new favorite read-aloud in this book. The illustrations will delight kids, who will find something new every time they pick it up. VERDICT Great writing and vivid illustrations make this a sure bet for most collections.-Lindsay Jensen, Nashville Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A petless pirate goes on a mission to secure an ideal companion.When the fearless Capt. Crave fills out the "Think you're the Perfect Pirate Captain?" quiz his mother sends by bottle, he finds he meets most of the requirements, save "Pet." (The disability stereotypes "Eye patch," "Hook," and "Peg leg" are also criteria.) Consequently, he and his intrepid, diverse crew set forth to find an animal of superior caliber. (Crave is white, his mate is a black woman, and one masculine-looking white pirate wears a pink bathrobe and bunny slippers throughout.) Always making a commotion ("as good pirates should") wherever they go, they storm a beach, raid a farm, and invade a zoo. Alas, there are lots of animals to discover, but each one is seriously flawedif not actively aggressive. Ears are pinched. Pants are eaten. Limbs are devoured (fulfilling the "Peg leg" on Crave's "to-do list"). Fortunately, when the pirates finally visit a pet store, it's a naughty bird inside that proves to be the perfect captain companion. Rife with buccaneer-speak and salty seadog sentences, Ferry's text uses repetition to its greatest advantage. Meanwhile, Myers' thick acrylic and oil paints render both buccaneers and beasts in an attractive angular style while also hiding a multitude of tiny details (keep an eye at all times on the expressive skull on the captain's hat).As Capt. Crave says, "Shiver me Shih Tzus!" There's some fun here. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
