Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "picture-books"

The Pirates of Scurvy Sands by Jonny Duddle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Mad Jack McMuddle was a pirate who was always lost. A long time ago, he buried his treasure on the island of Scurvy Sands. The place is a resort now, specifically for pirates. There are oodles of arcades, swimming, pirate fun, and treasure hunting, but no one has ever located Mad Jack’s treasure.

Dull-on-Sea is a bleak place in winter, but when summer arrives, it’s quite lively. While fishing off a pier one day, Matilda hooks a bottle with a message from her friend, Jim Lad Jolley-Rogers. His family is off to Scurvy Sands for fun and relaxation. Would she like to come too?

Most parents would say no, since pirates are n’er-do-wells, but the Jolley-Rogers are good pirates, so off Matilda goes on a grand adventure. Capt’n Ollie Day welcomes them with open arms, but it isn’t long before the other vacationers begin questioning whether Matilda should be allowed to stay. After all, she’s not a pirate. She’ll never pass the Pirate Test. But Matilda and Jim Lad pay no heed to such whispers. They’re too busy studying Mad Jack’s portrait and map, because they are determined to find his lost treasure!

This sequel to The Pirates Next Door is grand fun. The illustrations are colorful and each pirate has his/her own personality and expressive face. The story is a wonderful take on “Never judge a book by its cover.” Whether read aloud or silently, by oneself or with someone else, the adventure immediately draws young pirates into the tale. It can easily be transformed into a play so everyone can participate, or words that are capitalized can be shouted to add a dramatic flair to the telling. There’s even a bit a treasure included, for the artist has included a four-page foldout spread. There are also two diagrams depicting the Scurvy Sands resort and they are not the same. Are you savvy enough to spot the difference?




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