The boys from King Jack and the Dragon are back in this swashbuckling pirate adventure with pictures by the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes Jack, Zack, and Caspar are building a ship—on the beach, out of sand. When they set sail on their imaginary adventure, Jack spies an enemy pirate ship nearby. They chase after the pirates, but a storm wrecks their ship and sweeps them up on a desert island. The island isn't totally deserted, though—their pirate enemies are there too. Just as the boys discover the pirates' treasure (an array of delicious desserts), the pirates (their parents) capture them. But these pirates are friendly—they're willing to share the treasure, and they throw in some ice cream just for good measure!
Perfect for storytime read-alouds, this picture book is just right for fans of
Three Bears in a Boat,
How I Became a Pirate, and
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
On sale: March 29, 2016
Age: 3-5 years
Grade: Up to Kindergarten
Page count: 32 Pages
ISBN: 9780525429500
Reading level: Lexile: AD590L
Peter Bently is the author of more than forty children’s books, including
King Jack and the Dragon and
Cats Ahoy!, which won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. He lives in Devon, England.
Helen Oxenbury has charmed generations of children with her award-winning illustrations. She has won the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, and her numerous books include
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and the
New York Times bestseller
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. She lives in London with her husband, the author and artist John Burningham.
Praise for Captain Jack and the Pirates
Shortlisted for the Kate Greeenaway Medal
"Bently's rhyming narrative could be sung as a sea chantey . . . Gently and agreeably thrilling."—
Kirkus"A grand adventure."—
School Library Journal
"A riveting read-aloud adventure that mirrors children's imaginative play and has the power to inspire it."—
Booklist
Praise for King Jack and the Dragon
ALA Notable Book
* "Soft colors and the fanciful expressions on the various creatures offset any scare youngsters might find in the story, and the children's beguiling faces are warm and friendly. A balance of brown-toned crosshatched drawings and full-color artwork adds to the easy flow of the action. A tale of make-believe that children will delight in hearing again and again."—
School Library Journal, starred review
* "Bently's verse never misses a beat, and Oxenbury shifts between monochromatic, engraving-like drawings and pale watercolors; the images feel as if they were drawn from a classic fairy tale book and contemporary life simultaneously. It's an enchanting tribute to both full-throttle pretend play and the reassurance of a parent's embrace."—
Publishers Weekly, starred review
