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Star Trek Little Golden Books
I Am Captain Kirk (Star Trek)
Boldly go where no one has gone before with this first-ever Star Trek(TM) Little Golden Book--featuring Captain James T. Kirk!
Whether making strange new discoveries at the farthest reaches of the galaxy or facing off against Klingons and other alien races, find out what makes Captain James T. Kirk the most famous starship captain ever. Star Trek fans of all ages will love this action-packed Little Golden Book featuring Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise from the classic TV series in a unique retro art style!
Whether making strange new discoveries at the farthest reaches of the galaxy or facing off against Klingons and other alien races, find out what makes Captain James T. Kirk the most famous starship captain ever. Star Trek fans of all ages will love this action-packed Little Golden Book featuring Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise from the classic TV series in a unique retro art style!
24 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
Frank Berrios
212 books9 followersI was born and raised in Spanish Harlem, Queens, and the Bronx. As a New York kid, I remember riding graffiti-covered subways and hearing hip-hop blaring from parks and passing cars on the street. I loved my city. It was always buzzing with activity and different things for kids to see and do.
But I also loved to just sit and read. It started with daily comic strips like Peanuts by Charles Schulz. Then I discovered Mad Magazine and superhero comics like Batman, Spider-Man and Black Panther. These stories dealt with heroes and villains, innocence and guilt, freedom and justice. I became interested in justice and the legal system and was encouraged to become a lawyer. I had enjoyed working with kids as a counselor at a summer day camp, so I also thought about being a teacher. But after graduating from college, I knew that being a lawyer or a teacher just wasn’t right for me.
I found a temp job at DC Comics in midtown Manhattan. I answered phones, sorted mail, and did other small jobs. It wasn’t creative work, but I met cool people and got lots of free comics. That led to a full-time job in the Editorial Department. I went from reading comic books for fun, to working with legends in the comic book industry. Before long, I moved from DC Comics to Random House Children’s Books, where I’ve worked on a wide variety of Disney and Nickelodeon books over the last twenty years.
I’ve also written several Little Golden Books, including Black Panther, The Amazing Spider-Man, Falcon, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, I Am Captain Kirk and Too Many Tribbles! as well as My Little Golden Book about Jackie Robinson, Football with Dad and Soccer with Mom.
But I also loved to just sit and read. It started with daily comic strips like Peanuts by Charles Schulz. Then I discovered Mad Magazine and superhero comics like Batman, Spider-Man and Black Panther. These stories dealt with heroes and villains, innocence and guilt, freedom and justice. I became interested in justice and the legal system and was encouraged to become a lawyer. I had enjoyed working with kids as a counselor at a summer day camp, so I also thought about being a teacher. But after graduating from college, I knew that being a lawyer or a teacher just wasn’t right for me.
I found a temp job at DC Comics in midtown Manhattan. I answered phones, sorted mail, and did other small jobs. It wasn’t creative work, but I met cool people and got lots of free comics. That led to a full-time job in the Editorial Department. I went from reading comic books for fun, to working with legends in the comic book industry. Before long, I moved from DC Comics to Random House Children’s Books, where I’ve worked on a wide variety of Disney and Nickelodeon books over the last twenty years.
I’ve also written several Little Golden Books, including Black Panther, The Amazing Spider-Man, Falcon, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, I Am Captain Kirk and Too Many Tribbles! as well as My Little Golden Book about Jackie Robinson, Football with Dad and Soccer with Mom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 15, 2019
Cute intro to the Star Trek Original series characters and mission. I really liked the artwork, which had that same groovy feel of the series' look.
October 6, 2020
After reading the loving the Golden Book adaptation of "The Trouble With Tribbles," Daddy was eager to try out another Star Trek themed Golden Book.
And so, we ordered the one centering on Captain James T. Kirk.
I have to admit that part of me wondered which classic episode might get adapted for a story about Kirk.
Instead of adapting another episode, "I Am Captain Kirk" serves as an introduction to the crew of the NCC-1701. Well, all except Chekov who is featured in illustrations but gets no mention on the printed page. Each character gets a page or two, except Scotty who gets two. Given that Spock gets his own book, it's not necessarily an oversight there. But, then again, you can't help but feel a bit for Chekov for not getting included here (and he's not mentioned by name in "Tribbles" either as I recall. Did Walter Koenig annoy the Golden Book people or something?)
With colorful illustrations in the spirit of the original series, this was another fun entry in this series and one that we've re-read A LOT since it arrived. Shortcake seems particularly impressed that I could name all the various aliens featured in the book.
And so, we ordered the one centering on Captain James T. Kirk.
I have to admit that part of me wondered which classic episode might get adapted for a story about Kirk.
Instead of adapting another episode, "I Am Captain Kirk" serves as an introduction to the crew of the NCC-1701. Well, all except Chekov who is featured in illustrations but gets no mention on the printed page. Each character gets a page or two, except Scotty who gets two. Given that Spock gets his own book, it's not necessarily an oversight there. But, then again, you can't help but feel a bit for Chekov for not getting included here (and he's not mentioned by name in "Tribbles" either as I recall. Did Walter Koenig annoy the Golden Book people or something?)
With colorful illustrations in the spirit of the original series, this was another fun entry in this series and one that we've re-read A LOT since it arrived. Shortcake seems particularly impressed that I could name all the various aliens featured in the book.
March 21, 2019
A must have for a Star Trek, brand new Star Trek or Little Golden Books fan or collector. The text is easy and interesting. The illustrations are detailed, fun and amazing. I love it!
February 13, 2022
I absolutely could not not buy this book; A Little Golden Book about Star Trek entitled I Am Captain Kirk. The cover features a seriously goofy looking cartoon drawing of an idealized Captain Kirk. He looks like he’s in the middle of a John Travolta dance routine. Behind him are purple tentacles gyrating behind him—it’s like some kind of weird alien planet night club. It’s the funniest cover and the book itself is hilarious, particularly if you are Star Trek fan.
This book is so short it doesn’t have page numbers so I feel slightly embarrassed that it will count towards my reading goal, but I’ll write an in depth review to make up for that. The introduction that opens every episode of ST (classic series) (and maybe NG—I don’t remember because I didn’t watch much of those) also opens this book. The “seek out new life and new civilizations” phrase is a double page of illustrations. In the lower left corner is goofy high school quarterback Captain Kirk looking up at all the faces of aliens floating above and around him on both pages. He looks pretty excited, possibly at the idea of maybe sexing up these “new life and civilizations” (because as we know, Kirk was a notorious flirt).
There are small paragraphs on each page above the color illustrations. Each paragraph consists of two-three sentences, with at least one of those sentences ending with a very excited exclamation mark! One sentence is: “His [Mr. Spock] logical reasoning has saved our crew more than once!” Below this sentence is a picture of Kirk stumbling from the lift onto the bridge, his uniform torn with blood on his shoulder. Spock has the comm with Dr. McCoy on one side and Lt. Uhura (with a skirt that reaches mid-thigh—gotta keep it clean for the kids!) on the other, looking intently off page, ignoring Kirk’s dramatic entrance. This drawing is not as funny as the next one that introduces Dr. McCoy: “As the ship’s doctor, he makes sure the crew and I are always in tip-top shape!” Below this sentence is Kirk reclining on a diagnostic couch, uniform shirt torn (in a different way from the previous page), more bloody scratches, a bruised eye…but with perfectly coiffed hair. Love it! McCoy is taking his pulse (where’s the cylindrical whirry thing he holds above injured crew that somehow gives him information?) and looking grim.
Lt. Sulu is introduced as the “Helmsman” who “helps me control and navigate the ship as we fly through space!” Kirk is standing behind a very Anglo-looking Sulu pointing at (what I assume would be if drawn) the viewing screen as if to say, “Hey, that Volvo’s pulling out. Park there!” The following pages introduce Mr. Scott as the engineer and he’s drawn holding what looks a soup can with no label in one hand and a Voortman vanilla wafer cookie in the other. Is it lunch time? Lt. Chekhov is not introduced, neither is Janice Rand nor Nurse Christine Chapel (although she is pictured in the McCoy scene standing closely—too closely?—to Spock).
I bought this Star Trek Little Golden Book because it was so dopey I couldn’t imagine not owning it. Although I am puzzled as to who the hell at the Little Golden Book company thought this was a good idea.* The 1960s Star Trek and subsequent television shows aren’t aimed at the readers of Little Golden Books so why this book? Are they going for popular culture tv shows now? If so, I can’t wait to see the Sopranos version.
*I see there are 4 more books in this series. Why??????
This book is so short it doesn’t have page numbers so I feel slightly embarrassed that it will count towards my reading goal, but I’ll write an in depth review to make up for that. The introduction that opens every episode of ST (classic series) (and maybe NG—I don’t remember because I didn’t watch much of those) also opens this book. The “seek out new life and new civilizations” phrase is a double page of illustrations. In the lower left corner is goofy high school quarterback Captain Kirk looking up at all the faces of aliens floating above and around him on both pages. He looks pretty excited, possibly at the idea of maybe sexing up these “new life and civilizations” (because as we know, Kirk was a notorious flirt).
There are small paragraphs on each page above the color illustrations. Each paragraph consists of two-three sentences, with at least one of those sentences ending with a very excited exclamation mark! One sentence is: “His [Mr. Spock] logical reasoning has saved our crew more than once!” Below this sentence is a picture of Kirk stumbling from the lift onto the bridge, his uniform torn with blood on his shoulder. Spock has the comm with Dr. McCoy on one side and Lt. Uhura (with a skirt that reaches mid-thigh—gotta keep it clean for the kids!) on the other, looking intently off page, ignoring Kirk’s dramatic entrance. This drawing is not as funny as the next one that introduces Dr. McCoy: “As the ship’s doctor, he makes sure the crew and I are always in tip-top shape!” Below this sentence is Kirk reclining on a diagnostic couch, uniform shirt torn (in a different way from the previous page), more bloody scratches, a bruised eye…but with perfectly coiffed hair. Love it! McCoy is taking his pulse (where’s the cylindrical whirry thing he holds above injured crew that somehow gives him information?) and looking grim.
Lt. Sulu is introduced as the “Helmsman” who “helps me control and navigate the ship as we fly through space!” Kirk is standing behind a very Anglo-looking Sulu pointing at (what I assume would be if drawn) the viewing screen as if to say, “Hey, that Volvo’s pulling out. Park there!” The following pages introduce Mr. Scott as the engineer and he’s drawn holding what looks a soup can with no label in one hand and a Voortman vanilla wafer cookie in the other. Is it lunch time? Lt. Chekhov is not introduced, neither is Janice Rand nor Nurse Christine Chapel (although she is pictured in the McCoy scene standing closely—too closely?—to Spock).
I bought this Star Trek Little Golden Book because it was so dopey I couldn’t imagine not owning it. Although I am puzzled as to who the hell at the Little Golden Book company thought this was a good idea.* The 1960s Star Trek and subsequent television shows aren’t aimed at the readers of Little Golden Books so why this book? Are they going for popular culture tv shows now? If so, I can’t wait to see the Sopranos version.
*I see there are 4 more books in this series. Why??????
November 7, 2021
Lovely artwork - especially the spaceships & backgrounds.
November 29, 2022
Cute enough introduction to the original Star Trek cast, but the title is misleading as it's not really about Capt. Kirk it goes through all the main crew members.
January 9, 2019
This is a lovely children's book for young Star Trek fans or Star Trek parents who want to introduce Start Trek to their children or older Star Trek fans who just want a fun ST book to add to their collection (that would be me). The illustrations are wonderfully done and the only thing that prevents this from a full five-star rating is the fact that the author doesn't seem to know that Chekov exists and while he includes Nurse Chapel in one of the illustrations he doesn't mention her at all either. Also--the book really focuses more on the "world" of Star Trek (introducing the crew, spelling out their mission to "Boldly Go," etc.) than it does on Captain Kirk himself. Perhaps the book should have been called This Is Star Trek.
February 10, 2019
Written as a classic Little Golden Book, this title introduces young readers to the original Star Trek series and, more specifically, Captain Kirk I thought the illustrations are fun and vibrant, which nicely reflects the design of the original show and the Little Golden Book titles. It is a fun little primer to the characters and what they do!
March 22, 2019
My 7 year old daughter read this mostly by herself (the names and ranks are very difficult to sound out - Lieutenant Uhura specifically) to me and her brother and it made me very happy
December 21, 2019
For children but as an old Star Trek fan it amused me no end.
July 14, 2020
To the Final Frontier
'I am Captain Kirk' is a very simple early years reader, with bright illustrations to assist readers put the words in a 'Star Trek' context.
'I am Captain Kirk' is a very simple early years reader, with bright illustrations to assist readers put the words in a 'Star Trek' context.
April 16, 2026
G-Rated. A fantastic kid friendly introduction to the original Star Trek series.
April 5, 2019
This Little Golden Book introduces young readers to the original Star Trek with a simple narrative that essentially identifies most of the main characters [but not Chekov or Nurse Chapel] and tells about their responsibilities on the Enterprise. The book’s title is misleading in that it is not Captain Kirk’s story; rather, the Star Trek mission is the focus of the narrative.
On the plus side, the illustrations depict many scenes from the original series. The artwork is colorful and many reviewers seem to appreciate it, but some fans of the series are likely to find the drawings more closely resemble unflattering caricatures, especially since the characters in the illustrations often look angry. Unfortunately, the artwork is also careless; uniform braid is inconsistent; uniform badges are frequently incorrect. That may seem petty, especially in a book written for toddlers, but the depictions should be correct and parents who purchase this book are most likely to be devoted fans of the show who will expect the book to have correctly-portrayed illustrations for both the character and the series.
Parents who want to share their love of Star Trek with their young readers may enjoy this opportunity, especially since the narrative itself is true to the spirit of the original series. Future books in the series, however, would benefit with some attention to the artwork.
On the plus side, the illustrations depict many scenes from the original series. The artwork is colorful and many reviewers seem to appreciate it, but some fans of the series are likely to find the drawings more closely resemble unflattering caricatures, especially since the characters in the illustrations often look angry. Unfortunately, the artwork is also careless; uniform braid is inconsistent; uniform badges are frequently incorrect. That may seem petty, especially in a book written for toddlers, but the depictions should be correct and parents who purchase this book are most likely to be devoted fans of the show who will expect the book to have correctly-portrayed illustrations for both the character and the series.
Parents who want to share their love of Star Trek with their young readers may enjoy this opportunity, especially since the narrative itself is true to the spirit of the original series. Future books in the series, however, would benefit with some attention to the artwork.
January 9, 2025
I wonder what the meetings were like for this book? Lets convince toddlers to watch reruns from. 1960? Because the pictures pretty clearly don’t show Chris Pine.
The art is wonderful in this book. Great pictures and great likenesses.
Even the short pants. Even the classic Klingons!
Though they have pointed ears and swords and maybe a resemblance to the animated Klingons!
Still its a super cute book that any Star Trek fan should love. I know I did.
At least 4 stars.
Weird, the back of the book advertises the other Little Golden Books.
The Poky Little Puppy
The Saggy Baggy Elephant
The Shy Little Kitten
The Tawny Scrawny Lion
Scuffy the Tugboat
I don’t think I’d like any of those books.
The art is wonderful in this book. Great pictures and great likenesses.
Even the short pants. Even the classic Klingons!
Though they have pointed ears and swords and maybe a resemblance to the animated Klingons!
Still its a super cute book that any Star Trek fan should love. I know I did.
At least 4 stars.
Weird, the back of the book advertises the other Little Golden Books.
The Poky Little Puppy
The Saggy Baggy Elephant
The Shy Little Kitten
The Tawny Scrawny Lion
Scuffy the Tugboat
I don’t think I’d like any of those books.
November 30, 2020
If you have a Star Trek fan, this Golden book (along with others) is the perfect addition to their collection. Yes, they are aimed at the Golden Book crowd, but the nostalgia element alone makes it perfect! We get a basic introduction to our Captain and see all the favorites of the original TV series.
March 11, 2019
Little Golden Book + Star Trek = win!
The text for this book is basically the opening words to the Star Trek series with a little on the end. The illustrations are, once again, a little campy but fans will see scenes they remember from the episodes.
The text for this book is basically the opening words to the Star Trek series with a little on the end. The illustrations are, once again, a little campy but fans will see scenes they remember from the episodes.
May 5, 2019
This is an awesome little introduction to TOS for young children. If you were going to introduce the show to a child, this would be a perfect way to start. It introduces most of the main characters and explains their duties. The artwork by Ethen Beavers is a lot of fun.
April 26, 2020
Good Intro For Kids
This book is a great introduction to younger kids who wish to explore the world of Star Trek. It introduces all the main characters in the series in a very colorful way. If you want your kids to learn about Star Trek, start with this book.
This book is a great introduction to younger kids who wish to explore the world of Star Trek. It introduces all the main characters in the series in a very colorful way. If you want your kids to learn about Star Trek, start with this book.
January 8, 2019
Love it!
My grandkids will be indoctrinated, er, introduced to Trek! This is a great little Golden Book. I highly recommend this.
My grandkids will be indoctrinated, er, introduced to Trek! This is a great little Golden Book. I highly recommend this.
January 8, 2019
Perfect--except no mention of Chekov or Chapel?
January 9, 2019
I'm a little disappointed that Chekov didn't make the cut for this book. The artist, Ethen Beavers, has done a fine job illustrating this little corner of the Star Trek universe.
January 9, 2019
A great idea for a Little Golden Book. I found it charming and fun. Loved it.
January 11, 2019
Where were these when I was a kid? Definitely reading these to every child in my life! Loved how the pictures tied into the original episodes.
January 19, 2019
Just fantastic artwork in this cute little book.
January 19, 2019
I love the Captain's oath in the beginning of the story and how it all connects. Very sweet and an adorable read! One to save for my kids someday.
March 20, 2019
It’s a little Golden book so it’s pretty simple, but I’m loving the retro art work! Good Trekkie fun!
May 8, 2019
It starts off with the intro monologue you hear in the series opening and ends with brief bios of some of the main characters. Art's great.
May 31, 2019
I really liked this, though my son didn't care for the new look of the crew. Plus, Chekov and Nurse Chapel get shafted. Still, a fun book. Nice to see the old gang again.
July 2, 2019
Great Story time for kids! My girls love it when I read this to them.
March 11, 2020
Loved it!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews