Synopses & Reviews
Young mateys will find plenty of holiday joy in this humorous, colorful, and thoroughly piratical version of the beloved Clement C. Moore classic. On this ship of mischievous brigandsand#8212;who have visions of treasure chests, not sugarplums, dancing in their headsand#8212;you wouldnand#8217;t expect a visit from nice St. Nick. Instead, here comes Sir Peggedy, with his peg leg and hook arm, cracking his whip and driving eight giant seahorses: Salty, Scurvy, Sinbad, Mollie, Cutthroat, Cross-Eyes, Roger, and Jolly.
Philip Yatesand#8217; rollicking rhymes and Sebastiand#224; Serraand#8217;s sprightly, fun-filled picturesand#8212;featuring whimsically multicolored seahorses, stockings hung on the shipand#8217;s bowsprit with tar, child-friendly pirates, and a complete treasure mapand#8212;turn this Christmas perennial into a jubilant celebration!
Review
and#8220;. . . this is a pure porcine pleasure.and#8221; and#8212;
Booklistand#160;"A warm, gently humorous story for kids who are looking to school with anticipation, not trepidation." and#8212;
Publishers Weeklyand#160;"...so charming it could be enjoyed at any time of year . . .and#160;Griswell's storytelling has just the right amount of repetition and predictability, like a catchy song . . .and#160;and#160;And Gorbachev's pen, ink and watercolor pictures are timelessly appealing: richly colored, with soft, sketchy lines and funny details. Though this Ukrainian-born illustrator's style is his own, it brings to mind Garth Williams, David McPhail and Maurice Sendak." and#8212;
New York Times"With lively illustrations and a determined, endearing protagonist, this is a perfect pick for back-to-school programs. Children will love this intrepid pink hero.and#8221; and#8212;School Library Journal
Review
Praise for RUFUS GOES TO SCHOOL:
andldquo;. . . this is a pure porcine pleasure.andrdquo; andmdash;Booklist
andquot;...so charming it could be enjoyed at any time of year . . . Griswelland#39;s storytelling has just the right amount of repetitionand#160; . . .and#160; And Gorbachevand#39;s pen, ink and watercolor pictures are timelessly appealing . . . it brings to mind Garth Williams, David McPhail and Maurice Sendak.andquot; andmdash;New York Times online
and#160;
Review
and#8220;The crew from A Pirate's Night Before Christmas sails through another Christmas-tide romp . . . Serra's digitally colored pen-and-ink compositions are filled with swashbuckling action and create a rollicking holiday mood.and#8221; --Publishers Weeklyand#160;and#8220;'On the fourth day of Christmas, a gift was sent to me: / 4 cacklin' hens / 3 black cats, 2 cutlasses, an' a parrot in a palm tree.' Sure, it's a mouthful (and there are eight days to go!), but this pirate crew is having such a grand time you'll get into the swashbuckling spirit in no time. Back for their second holiday high-seas adventure (A Pirate's Night Before Christmas, rev. 11/08), the Black Sark buccaneers plan twelve days of Yuletide surprises for their cabin boy. The pirate lingo and raucously detailed color-rich illustrations add seafaring flair to this holiday standard.and#8221; --The Horn Book Magazine
Review
andldquo;The spirited sequel to
Rufus Goes to School (2013) shows just how far a piglet with persistence can go. School is out for the summer, and Rufus Leroy Williams III is at loose ends until his favorite book, The Pirates, gives him a solution: he will join a pirate crew! The Ahab-like Captain Wibblyshins has a clutch of reasons pigs canandrsquo;t be pirates (they play on the poop deck and scribble on the treasure maps), but Rufus keeps coming back with new gearandmdash;an eye patch, a pirate hat, a potato peelerandmdash;to show his pirate potential. When the captain finally learns that Rufus can read the treasure map that he has been puzzling over, Rufus becomes andldquo;a readinandrsquo; pirateandrdquo; and leads the crew to buried treasure. The watercolor-and-ink illustrations wonderfully convey this whimsical world and are filled with comic details. A tale of perseverance, and a marvelous paean to the joy and power of reading.andrdquo; andmdash;
Booklist and#160;
andldquo;The adorable pig from Rufus Goes to School (2013, Sterling) is back. Itandrsquo;s summer vacation, and Rufus wants nothing more than to be a pirate over the break. Unfortunately, much like the principal at Rufusandrsquo;s school, the pirate captain must be taught to overlook preconceived notions of what having a pig in his midst entails. After being denied cleaning and cooking positions, Rufus hits on what the pirate ship truly needs: a literate pirate. What a coincidence! The little pig with a pirate book in his backpack is a perfect fit. Rufus helps the pirates read their treasure map, teaches them their letters, and helps them enjoy their ultimate treasure: a chest of books. The story and artwork are wonderfully matched. The writing is simple and repetitive enough to appeal to the preschool crowd while still including pirate speak and pirate terms for lower elementary readers. The ink and watercolor illustrations are warm and friendly (no scary pirates here) yet also include some clever prediction-making clues. VERDICT A good choice for reading with groups or for one-on-one sharing.andrdquo; andmdash;School Library Journal
Synopsis
Ahoyand#8212;Pirate Pig on board! What does a book-loving pig like Rufus do when school's out for summer? He finds inspiration in his favorite stories, of course! Soon he's dreaming of the pirate life, with days full of adventure and nights under blankets of stars. But Captain Wibblyshins says NO PIGS ON PIRATE SHIPS! Can Rufus convince the Captain that he's no landlubber swine? And could his ticket to piratehood be . . . reading?
Synopsis
Ahoy Pirate Pig on board What does a book-loving pig like Rufus do when school's out for summer? He turns to his favorite stories for inspiration, of course And before long, he's dreaming of days filled with adventure and nights under blankets of stars. It's the pirate life for him, matey. But Captain Wibblyshins says NO PIGS ON PIRATE SHIPS After all, pigs get tangled in the rat lines, they picnic in the crow's nest, and worst of all, they even wipe their chins with the Jolly Roger. Can Rufus convince the Captain that he's no landlubber swine? And could his ticket to piratehood be . . . reading?
Kids will love seeing Rufus conquer new worlds in this delightful follow-up to the popular Rufus Goes to School."
Synopsis
All Rufus Leroy Williams III wants is to go to school so he can learn to read his favorite book. But there's one problem: he's a pig and Principal Lipid says: and#8220;NO PIGS IN SCHOOL!and#8221; Rufus even gets a backpack, a lunchbox, and a blanket to prove he's ready. But Mr. Lipid won't budge. Is there ANYTHING Rufus can do to change his mind? Kim Griswell and illustrator Valeri Gorbachev have created a love letter to reading that's also a charming, original, and child-friendly first-day-of-school story.
Synopsis
On the first day of Christmas, a gift was sent to me: a parrot in a palm tree! Ahoy mateys--Christmas is coming and even pirates celebrate the holiday! This follow-up to the hugely popular A Pirate's Night Before Christmas offers a witty re-imagining of and#8220;The Twelve Days of Christmasand#8221;and#8212;with a sly buccaneer twist. A brave cabin boy receives marvelously mysterious gifts for each of the 12 days he is left alone to guard the pirate ship: 12 cannons blastin', 9 mermaids singin', 6 Jolly Rogers, and so onand#8212;but who are they from? With impeccable rhythm and a lively sense of fun, Philip Yates and Sebastiand#224; Serra create a delightful world all their own.
About the Author
Kim T. Griswell is a developmental editor for Uncle John's Bathroom Readers and the former coordinating editor of Highlights for Kids. She continues to help develop and teach writers' workshops with the Highlights Foundation; has taught with the Institute for Children's Literature; and has published more than 200 short stories, articles, and columns. Her children's book, Carnivorous Plants, was published by Kidhaven Press, and she also wrote Rufus Goes to School (Sterling). Kim lives in Ashland, OR. Learn more about her at her website, kimgriswell.com.and#160;Valeri Gorbachev emigrated from his native Ukraine to the US in 1991, and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. He has written and/or illustrated more than 50 children's books, including the first Rufus story, Rufus Goes to School (Sterling), as well as Turtle's Penguin Day and The Giant Hug by Sandra Horning (both Knopf).