How I Became a Pirate

Pirates have green teeth--when they have any teeth at all. I know about pirates, because one day, when I was at the beach building a sand castle and minding my own business, a pirate ship sailed into view.So proclaims Jeremy Jacob, a boy who joins Captain Braid Beard and his crew in this witty look at the finer points of pirate life by the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Shannon and the storyteller Melinda Long. Jeremy learns how to say "scurvy dog," sing sea chanteys, and throw food . . . but he also learns that there are no books or good night kisses on board: "Pirates don't tuck." A swashbuckling adventure with fantastically silly, richly textured illustrations that suit the story to a T.


Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Published: 09/01/2003
ISBN: 9780152018481
Pages: 32
Weight: 0.94lbs
Size: 11.32h x 8.60w x 0.39d
Award: Georgia Children's Book Award - Nominee
Award: North Carolina Children's Book Award - Nominee
Award: Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award - Nominee
Award: Young Hoosier Book Award - Nominee
Award: Golden Sower Award - Nominee
Award: Nevada Young Readers' Award - Nominee
Award: South Carolina Childrens, Junior and Young Adult Book Award - Nominee
Award: Red Clover Award - Nominee
Award: Monarch Award - Nominee
Award: Charlotte Award - Nominee
Award: Florida Children's Book Award - Winner
Award: Volunteer State Book Awards - Nominee
Award: Land of Enchantment Book Award - Nominee
Award: Buckaroo Book Award - Nominee
Award: Book Sense Book of the Year Award - Winner
Award: Parents Choice Award (Fall) (1998-2007) - Winner
Award: Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize - Winner
Award: California Young Reader Medal - Nominee
Award: Irma S. & James H. Black Award - Winner

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 07/07/2003 pg. 70
School Library Journal 09/01/2003 pg. 184
Kirkus Review - Children 09/15/2003 pg. 1177
Booklist 09/15/2003 pg. 238
BookPage 11/01/2003 pg. 46
Time 12/12/2003 pg. 127
SLJ's Best Books 12/01/2003 pg. 47
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 01/01/2004 pg. 197
New York Times 02/08/2004 pg. 22
ALA Notable Children's Books 03/15/2004 pg. 1286
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2003 pg. 50 - Recommended, Satisfactory
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2004 pg. 50 - Recommended, Satisfactory
School Library Journal 10/01/2004

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 71622 / How I Became a Pirate
Reading Level: 3.1 / Interest Level: Lower Grade / Point Value: 0.5