How I Became A Pirate

This week I read How I Became A Pirate by Melinda Long. The illustrations are by David Shannon which add a great deal to the story. The story is about a little boy named Jeremy Jacob and how he becomes a pirate on Braid Beard's ship. There is a natural progression to the story that takes children on a fantastic adventure and then reminds them why they love their families. 

The story line is not exactly original, boy goes on adventure and then gets homesick, but it is a fresh take on the idea. The story takes place on Braid Beards pirate ship out at sea and is told from the point of view of a young boy named Jeremy Jacob. It has an adventure theme that is sure to excite any young boy and maybe some adventurous girls. 

I read this book to my 7 and 8 year-old children and their friends. My youngest and his friends thought it was funny and were very interested in me reading it, especially my attempt at pirate voices, but my eight year-old was not that into it. He actually kept asking off topic questions and was clearly not engaged. For that reason I would say that the book would be suitable for 1st or 2nd graders. 

The characters are stereotypical to what children envision pirates to be but it fits well with the story line. Many of the characters are revealed through narration and conversation by/with Jeremy Jacob. The Jeremy Jacob character goes through natural development and growth as he realizes that he misses home. 

From an educational stand point I would pair this book with an art project or a lesson dealing with emotional development. You could also use this book to teach literature since it has a clear plot and setting with interesting characters.

I would relate this book to the movie Hook that was an adaptation of the Peter Pan adventure. I think that it provides children with a sense of adventure and wonder that only a well written piece of literature can do.