Pirate! (Imagine You're a...) - Tapa dura

Once again the author and illustrator of the "Imagine This!" series have produced an excellent book for reluctant readers.... While girls may be attracted to the Imagine You're a Fairy book, both girls and boys may be attracted to Imagine You're a Pirate. The reader might consider this book to be an introductory "encyclopedia" to the romanticized thieves of the oceans known as pirates.... [It] helps the reader to explore what life was like in a different period of time.... Exploratory, experiential learning helps make history real to young and adult readers alike... However, there remains one important factor that makes this a great book! It's fun! Highly Recommended.--Denise Weir"Canadian Materials" (10/04/2002)

Shiver me timbers!... A wickedly sinful peek at life on the rolling seas. Did you know that some pirates are big and strong while others are tall and thin and cunning? Pirates can come in many different shapes and sizes, but all are very, very wicked!!! If you want to be a pirate, you'll need an eye patch, a polka-dot handkerchief, a wooden leg or hook, earrings...and this book! Did you know that the pirate code stipulates that pirates can never be kind to children? Do you know where pirates work? Actually, pirates sail the Seven Seas looking for ships to rob, so they usually don't make it home for dinner. And sometimes, when the captain gets really angry, a pirate will be thrown overboard, so it's a good idea to take lessons in walking the plank. Pirates also spend a lot of time looking for treasure. It can be buried deep in the ocean or stashed away on a treasure island. Pirates often meet up with sea monsters or typhoons or marauding buccaneers -- but they don't get danger pay! Another thing about pirates: they don't even buy their own ships! They usually just steal other people's. That's why their ships have nice names like Saucy Sue. There's so much more to say about pirates (not the least of which is that they like to drink lots of grog and then sing pirate songs). Children will devour the information in this book. It is funny and entertaining, amusingly twisted, and will appeal to that insatiable interest in the wicked world of pirates. With such a warped take on the topic, only an irreverent illustrator like Lucy Blackheart could do it justice.