Backbeard and the Birthday Suit

by Matthew McElligott

Backbeard the pirate is the orneriest, the smelliest and the hairiest pirate who ever sailed the five seas (the other two haven't been discovered yet!). As stubborn as he is piratey, Backbeard is not the sort of guy who like to change. But after one particularly rowdy birthday party, even Backbeard admits that it's time for a new suit.

Unfortunately, even a pirate can't always get what he wants, and Backbeard's new birthday suit will either make him the laughingstock of the whole ship or the most stylish pirate to ever set sail.

Genres: Picture Books, Pirates, Childrens, Humor, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2006

About the author

Matthew McElligott is the author and illustrator of many books for children. When Matt is not writing, he teaches as a Professor of Graphic and Media Design at Russell Sage College in Albany. He lives on a small farm in upstate New York with his wife and their animals.

Reviews

[Colleen]

I have to say, I was a little disappointed. I read a lot of reviews that said this book was really funny. My library didn't have the book so I bought it from Amazon. I read it.... and I was underwhelmed. I honestly, think it was because my expectations were so high.

The book did not make me laugh out loud. It was cute. But, for me, that was it..cute.

Blackbeard's birthday comes but after his party he looks in the mirror and decides that his clothes are a mess, even for a pirate. He goes into town and gets a new outfit from a tailor. The outfit is very colorful and doesn't match but the tailor convinces Blackbeard that he is stylish.

Blackbeard goes back to the ship but his shipmates do not recognize him so after a tussle and blackbeard bests all of them. They realize its him and have a discussion about his clothes. In the end, his mates make him realize that if he likes the clothes, well... that's all that matters, because in the end he's still the same person. He's hairy, stupid and stinks and then they throw and egg at him and he tells them how much he loves them.

[Anthony]

Backbeard was the hairest, toughest, loudest, and most unsanitary pirate ever lived. This made it hard for him to keep a parrot. Backbeard decided to purchase himself a new suit for his birthday. His new suit was so colorful that his crew didn't recognize when he returned to his ship, but they all agreed that if he liked it, then so would they.

[Sagan]

I like how he dresses how he feels like. The little girl is dressed the same too and he thinks it's funny. -- Sagan (6)

[Sarah]

I thought it was funny but I'm not sure this specific Kindergarten was super invested.

[H. Givens]

CN: When Backbeard first gets his new outfit, he says "it makes me look like a sissy." He learns that what matters is he likes his outfit, but the "sissy" bit isn't addressed.

[skcocnaH]

This book felt pretty pointless. I get that the message was supposed to be something about what you think of you is the most important thing, but it felt pretty clumsily done.

[Becca]

Used as a read aloud for the Makerspace day camp for the week themed: Mermaids, Pirates, and Sea Monsters - June 2018

[The Brothers]

Backbeard (not to be confused with BLackbeard) is the hairest, horriblest pirate around. After a particularly rambunctious birthday party, he goes into town to get new clothes. The shopkeeper there dresses him up in the weirdest get-up and not surprisingly, his own doesn't recognize him when he returns. After giving them a sound thrashing, he decides he likes his new outfit and in the end that's all that matters.

Okay illustrations.

[Elisha Condie]

This book is so funny! And one of the few I think I paid full price for. Backbeard is a pirate who needs a new pirate suit and ends up getting outfitted in a fancy froofy suit and has to persuade the other pirates (including first mate Sweaty McGhee) that he's still tough. We also liked the sequel "Backbeard Pirate for Hire".

[Alexis Munk]

I liked the illustrations. They weren't the best but I enjoyed them. My favorite part of the illustrations was how dull and dark the colors were until Backbeard got a new suit that was very colorful and filled with patterns. I also loved the last page and how colorful everything was. That was my favorite picture.

[Alice]

3.25 stars What I really want to say about this book isn't very "P.C." so I will skipped the reference and just say it is the Prettiest, darn, bunch of men in colorful outfits on a ship together. --there must be a lot of HAPPY men full of PRIDE!

ARGH!!!

[Darcy]

Seriously. I laughed out loud in the children's section of the library. Couldn't get Noah to check it out, though...

[Cymiki]

great story and twist on pirate behavior!

[Karen C]

This might be the funniest pirate book I have ever read.

[Elisabeth]

Ok, I thought this was funny. I don't know if Sam enjoyed it as much. I think I've been watching too much design-related reality TV.

[Stuart]

An enjoyable children's book with fun illustrations and a charming moral devoid of preachiness. Perfect for a child's birthday gift (though I got it for my 27th birthday!).

[Jen]

This was cute. Maybe the author was trying a slightly different take on the Emperor's New Suit. It does show that violence is fun. :(

[Carrie Gelson]

Possibly the most fashionable pirate (despite the stink factor) to sail the seven seas!

[Amanda Hlava]

Funny fictional story about a stinky pirate that went to get new clothes for his birthday.

[Candi Lynn]

I think kids would like this book and think it's funny.

[Emma]

(1st book)
Adorable.
Not for storytime.

[Jason]

The author's "Even Monsters Need Haircuts" is brilliant and the alien book is enjoyable too. This one is ... ok. Cute concept but there are a few phrases I had to edit out when reading to my 4 year old so he didn't repeat them at school.