Sloop John B: A Pirate's Tale

Alan Jardine, a member of the original Beach Boys, has written a fun-filled pirate adventure based on the classic folk song "Sloop John B." A young boy and his grandfather get trapped by pirates at sea, but triumphantly defeat the pirate and his crew!

PreSchool-Grade 1-Jardine has reworked the lyrics of the folk song "Wreck of the John B" to incorporate a story line that will appeal to children. A boy and his grandfather set off on the sloop John B for an ocean adventure. When a group of pirates boards their craft, the two sailors hide, but in the end the youngster must save his grandpa from walking the plank. The vibrant illustrations add humor to the story with many amusing details and characterizations. In fact, the artwork tends to overshadow the sometimes stilted verses when the narrative is read aloud. However, a CD of the author singing the song accompanies the book, and although the text varies slightly from the lyrics on the recording, the rollicking beat of the music brings the tale to life. Children will enjoy singing along as they turn the pages and admire the delightful illustrations. Readers looking for a meatier depiction of buccaneers will prefer Melinda Long's How I Became a Pirate (Harcourt, 2003).-Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.