Bibliographical information:

Mahy, Margaret. The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate. 1973. Illus. Margaret Chamberlain. London: Puffin Books, 1996.

Brief summary:

A man works in an office, writing down long columns of numbers. His mother, who used to be a pirate, longs to see the sea again, so they set off on a journey with only a kite and a wheelbarrow.

Comments:

This story by New Zealand writer Margaret Mahy is funny and the illustrations are beautiful. My friend Marilynn gave this book to my older daughter when she was small, and I fell in love with it immediately, as do many adults. My older daughter liked the story and loved the pictures, but until recently I believed that this story was less appealing to kids than to adults, in part because kids don't get all the jokes (for example, the philospher who tells them to turn back, because nothing is ever as good as anticipated). Now my five-year-old has fallen for the book, though, so apparently it can work for kids. In any case, it's a gorgeous picture book that adults will enjoy reading as well.

Grade/Age level:

 Age 3-8

Cautions:

--Lisa Gordis

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