The Pirate of Kindergarten

Doubles are good for lots of things—double scoops of ice cream, double features at the movies. But double vision is NOT a good kind of double. In fact, it can make kindergarten kind of hard. Ginny sees double chairs at reading circle and double words in her books. She knows that only half of what she sees is real, but which half? The solution to her problem is wondrously simple: an eye patch! Ginny becomes the pirate of kindergarten.With the help of her pirate patch, Ginny can read, run, and even snip her scissors with double the speed! Vibrant illustrations from Lynne Avril capture the realities of what Ginny sees both before and after.

"Ginny has double vision, although she doesn't receive that diagnosis (and a treatment plan) until the final pages of this vividly empathetic book. Without lecturing or making Ginny the object of pity, Lyons (Sleepsong) and Avril (Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse), who works in cheery but remarkably expressive pastels, show how disorientating and alienating it feels when something as fundamental as visual perception goes awry. 'If she didn't keep her mind tied tight when Ms. Cleo gave them rabbit pictures, she might cut out one ear and another and another. Once she got so mad, she stuck the scissors in the paste.' The arrival of a vision screener at school is a little gem of narrative tension: since Ginny can see fine when one eye is covered, will her problem be caught? Readers will be reassured and gratified to know that the answer is yes ('Do you see two of me?' asks the nurse kindly. 'Do you know... that most people see only one?') Even those with 20/20 vision will feel Ginny's sense of relief, and close the book confident of her progress. Ages 4 — 8. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)

School is hard when Ginny's eyes play tricks; but with an eye patch, nothing can keep THE PIRATE OF KINDERGARTEN from doing what she loves--reading

Ginny was not born a pirate. But since her birth she was headed in that direction.

This book tells the story of Ginny's voyage towards earning herself an eye patch - a voyage made mostly at school.

No other kid there had the honor.

Words and pictures offer up a double helping of surprise on the subject of seeing.

Lynne Avril is the illustrator of several books for children, including The Penny Pot by Stuart J. Murphy; He Saves the Day by Marsha Hayles; and One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy. Ms. Cravath lives with her family in Phoenix, Arizona. Visit her online at lynneavril.com