Pirates & Privateers: Melinda Long's Books Books

Jeremy Jacob wants to buy his mom a birthday present, but twenty-seven cents won’t buy much. Before he can decide, she tells him to watch his baby sister while his dad naps and she goes to the store for more milk. No sooner does she leave than someone knocks on the front door. Outside are his friends, the pirates, and they’ve come to retrieve the treasure they buried in his backyard.

The problem is that whenever the captain says something, the crew shouts out a chorus. Needless to say, that wakes up Bonney Anne. So rather than digging up treasure, the pirates must make her happy. Babysitting, however, is tough and smelly work. When they finally get her back to sleep, they discover the map to the treasure is gone. Bonney Anne has it, but she’s not where they left her. Will Jeremy find his baby sister before Mom returns? Will the pirates find their treasure without the map? Will Jeremy locate the perfect gift for his mother?

This is a delightful sequel to How I Became a Pirate, and even though the action takes place entirely on land in this outing, the battles they wage are no less dangerous. This time they find out what it’s like to live in Jeremy’s house, just as he learned what it was like to be a pirate during their last meeting. This is great for reading aloud, and there are plenty of places where youngsters can join in with the pirate chorus. The fantastic colorful illustrations tell the story with great detail and humor. It’s impossible to look at them and not smile. The pirates may have buried their booty, but readers will find a treasure within the pages of this book.

Interior Spread: Pirates
Don't Change Diapers

Visit the author
Meet the illustrator

By Melinda Long
Pictures by David Shannon
Harcourt, 2003, ISBN 0-15-201848-4, $16.00

One day at the beach Jeremy Jacob spies a pirate ship. Since the adults don’t seem alarmed, he continues to build his sandcastle. After the pirates come ashore, they learn that they took a wrong turn along the way and aren’t where they intended to bury their treasure. Captain Braid Beard admires Jeremy’s spectacular sandcastle. The lad is just what they need -- a digger -- and so they take Jeremy back to their ship and sail away to bury the treasure.

Jeremy doesn’t mind as long as they return in time for his soccer match. He enjoys learning to live like a pirate, to talk like one, and to eat what pirates eat. Then he discovers the one thing pirates don’t do, but a storm strikes and Jeremy must come to the rescue.

Melinda Long, a teacher, crafts a delightful tale to introduce pirates to children. There are plenty of places where young children can join in once they’re familiar with the story.

Caldecott Honor winner, David Shannon’s fantastic acrylic paintings bring each pirate to life. Readers will delight in exploring the details of each picture to learn more about the pirates. My favorites? The shark who wants to play with the pirates and the perils of a storm at sea.