What do you think?
Papa Is a Pirate
Is Papa really a pirate? Does he really sail to faraway islands and find hidden treasures and tame sea monsters? And what about your papa? Does he really spend all day at the office? Is his chin sometimes prickly? Does he sometimes smell like the sea?
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 3, 2025
A cute story about a little boy who idolizes his Dad, who may or may not be a real pirate. While the illustrations were great, the story is written in dialogue that just sounds confusing and weird. Overall, 3/5 stars ⭐️ would recommend.
September 25, 2018
Great humor! Beautiful illustrations! And a bit of mystery! What's not to love?
December 3, 2018
This is an entertaining book about a Papa who convinces his son that he is a pirate. It is really quite cute.
August 12, 2009
When a little boy wonders what his father did today, he gets a big surprise. Because his father is claiming that he is a pirate captain. Could it be? Yes, he bikes to work, but that’s just until he reaches the harbor and his pirate ship. He claims wooden legs are “a nuisance” and that Petey the parakeet has the heart of a parrot. Papa has great tales about his adventures, including sea monsters! Could it be that he is really telling the truth? You will just have to read the book and decide for yourself.
Hensel nicely creates a story where you believe one thing and the illustrations show another. Her prose reads aloud fluidly and is filled with humorous touches. My favorite is that the pirates make money by putting on pirate shows for cruise ships. The tone here is light and fun but still filled with adventure and story telling. Hensel’s illustrations are just as humorous as the text. From a cross-section of the pirate ship complete with stored birdseed for the parrot to the appeal of a cozy shared hammock chock full of sleeping pirates the illustrations offer a homey and welcoming view of life aboard a pirate ship.
Fresh and friendly, this is a great pirate book for young readers who will end up asking themselves if perhaps their parents are pirates during the day! Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Hensel nicely creates a story where you believe one thing and the illustrations show another. Her prose reads aloud fluidly and is filled with humorous touches. My favorite is that the pirates make money by putting on pirate shows for cruise ships. The tone here is light and fun but still filled with adventure and story telling. Hensel’s illustrations are just as humorous as the text. From a cross-section of the pirate ship complete with stored birdseed for the parrot to the appeal of a cozy shared hammock chock full of sleeping pirates the illustrations offer a homey and welcoming view of life aboard a pirate ship.
Fresh and friendly, this is a great pirate book for young readers who will end up asking themselves if perhaps their parents are pirates during the day! Appropriate for ages 4-6.
January 4, 2014
My five-year-old son picked this book out from the library this week.
The story is fine, but something felt off with the text. Then I learned that this book was originally written in German and was translated into English. Literal English, I think. Idiomatic German does not translate quite right into literal English -- actually, that would be true of any language into the other. I wish the translator had exercised a little bit more freedom in the translation.
The illustrations worked very well with the story, and were technically very good, but they could have "sung" a bit more.
The story is fine, but something felt off with the text. Then I learned that this book was originally written in German and was translated into English. Literal English, I think. Idiomatic German does not translate quite right into literal English -- actually, that would be true of any language into the other. I wish the translator had exercised a little bit more freedom in the translation.
The illustrations worked very well with the story, and were technically very good, but they could have "sung" a bit more.
June 2, 2012
Age: Preschool - 1st grade
"Is Papa really a pirate? Does he really sail to faraway islands and find hidden treasures and tame sea monsters? Does he really spend all day at the office? Is his chin sometimes prickly? Does he sometimes smell like the sea?" (Goodreads feature review).
Full of adventure and extravagant tales, this dad tells of his mysterious life at sea--though he can't quite get the pirate vocabulary right. Cute, but has sloppy writing, this book opens up an opportunity for dad to creatively engage with his child.
"Is Papa really a pirate? Does he really sail to faraway islands and find hidden treasures and tame sea monsters? Does he really spend all day at the office? Is his chin sometimes prickly? Does he sometimes smell like the sea?" (Goodreads feature review).
Full of adventure and extravagant tales, this dad tells of his mysterious life at sea--though he can't quite get the pirate vocabulary right. Cute, but has sloppy writing, this book opens up an opportunity for dad to creatively engage with his child.
September 7, 2013
This is a super cute book about the possibility of what
Dad does when he leaves for work. This would be a great anticipatory set to a writing assignment of what a students parents, guardians, or any family member does when they "Go to work". Give students the task of guessing what a grown up may do and then support their reasoning with facts. The illustrations are fantastic and the possibilities are endless for the imagination in this one.
Dad does when he leaves for work. This would be a great anticipatory set to a writing assignment of what a students parents, guardians, or any family member does when they "Go to work". Give students the task of guessing what a grown up may do and then support their reasoning with facts. The illustrations are fantastic and the possibilities are endless for the imagination in this one.
February 3, 2015
Papa is a Pirate! Really, he is! Or is he? Author and illustrator Katharina Grossmann Hensel's wit is not to be missed, starting with the front cover itself. Boy Detective found a new silly detail or joke in the interior illustrations every dang time we read this one, which was at least 15 times. Gals like me will also appreciate the story of how Papa met Mama (hint: no damsel in distress here.)
November 14, 2009
This is a fun story of a Dad who tells tall tales to his son before bedtime about his life as a pirate. He tells the boy that he doesn't go to work at an office, but instead spends his days on a ship doing pirate things. Though it's a silly tale, it's fun and the illustrations are wonderful. Our girls liked this story.
June 1, 2010
A father tries to convince his young boy that he is a pirate. The young boy points out that his father doesn't have a wooden leg or a parrot, and other pirate stereotypes but, by the end of the book, the boy believes that his father is a real pirate. The end of the book asks readers if their father could be a pirate.
March 4, 2011
Children love to use their imagination and this book will certainly allow the children to do so. A father tells his son stories of being a pirate and how he spends his days doing pirate things, while the son questions if he is telling the truth. The pictures are engaging and silly to keep the listeners involved.
February 24, 2013
This story is about a father who tells his son he is a pirate. His son does not believe him in the slightest. "Your mom is a pirate too" said his father. "You told me before that Mom was a princess," replied the son. "Oh shes that too. She became a pirate after she'd conquered all her kingdom's dragons."
May 21, 2009
This is lots of fun, but I think the language may have lost something in the translation from German to English.
Still, pirate loving boys will love Papa's tall tale, and the illustrations are great--especially the details of Papa's pirate ship!
Still, pirate loving boys will love Papa's tall tale, and the illustrations are great--especially the details of Papa's pirate ship!
May 25, 2010
Doesn't every kid wonder what his dad does at the office all day? Papa tells his son that he really is a pirate and he does piratey things all day long. The son has a hard time believing him, yet in the end he really does believe...
Used for "Pirates: Arrrggg Mateys" Storytime-June, 2010.
Used for "Pirates: Arrrggg Mateys" Storytime-June, 2010.
August 29, 2012
A neat book about a father telling his son that hes a pirate. His son doesnt believe him until the end of the book, when he recieves the key to the pirate treasure. It is very good at demonstrating what the words say, in the pictures.
August 14, 2010
I don't think the class whill know at the end of the book whether Daddy is a pirate or not. But the book fits nicely into the "pirate" category.
May 4, 2011
Very fun, and funny. The kids loved it!
January 8, 2013
Adorable. Are you sure your dad isn't a pirate? Can you see the sea in his eyes? Maybe he is after all!
December 10, 2009
"pirates, fathers"
September 10, 2010
It was fun and imaginative. My girls loved the pictures and looking at all the fun things in them.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews