Perfect Picture Book Friday - The Pirate's Parrot

In case you're wondering, I had a lovely chat with Santa on Wednesday at the Brick Church Holiday Fair in New York City and you are all on the Nice List!  (So you can breathe a sigh of relief - I know some of you were a little worried that all that chocolate might have tipped the scales, as it were, to the Naughty side, but you're good :))

I also sat next to a pile of Jamie Lee Curtis's books - but not, as it turned out, Jamie Lee.  (She probably heard she'd be sitting next to a groundhog and a sheep, not to mention a relatively unknown author, and that violates some clause of her appearance contract.)  But her illustrator, Laura Cornell, was happy to sit with us and she was delightful!  I was very glad to meet her and have her company for the three hours or so that we were in attendance.  I did not take any pictures because I wasn't kidding when I told you this was a fair of epic proportions.  We're talking Park Avenue glitz.  I was afraid you might sustain eye damage from all the glitter :)

Anyway, look how far down the page I am without a single mention of Perfect Picture Books!  That just proves how dazzled I was from that fair - I haven't recovered my senses yet :)  But now... it's time... for Perfect Picture Books!!!  (I'm feeling the need for theme music - anyone want to sing?)

The Pirate's Parrot

Written By: Lyn Rossiter Mcfarland

Illustrated By: Jim Mcfarland

Tricycle Press, March 2004, Fiction

Suitable For: ages 5-8

Themes/Topics: pirates, doing a job well, defying the expected, being different

Opening: "When Captain Cur's parrot died, he thud-thumped and tapped on his wooden leg all night long until his crew thought they'd go mad.

Then at dawn, he tap, tap, crunched!

"Mr. Bellows!" he roared.  "I've stepped on me monocle!"

Quartermaster Bellows rushed to his captain's side.

"I have no bird," snarled the Cur.  "I have no monocle.  Me near vision's a blur, and me mood is bad and getting worse.  So what are you going to do about it?"

Brief Synopsis:  The First and Second Mate are dispatched to solve the problem, but they make a slight error... the parrot they bring back is actually a teddy bear.  Unwilling to face the Captain's wrath, the crew tell him it's a parrot (and without his monocle he can't see well enough to tell the difference!) and they teach the bear to be a pirate's parrot.  Not until they board the Sea Weasel, ship of the dreaded pirate Captain McDagger, do they find out what a good job they did!

Links To Resources: Pirate Coloring Pages, Pirate Games For Kids, How To Talk Like A Pirate, Pirate Ship Coloring Page, More Ship Coloring Pages and Facts About Pirate Ships.

Why I Like This Book:  To start with, it has pirates in it, and I love books with pirates :)  But beyond that, how can you not love a book where a scurvy crew puts one over on their Captain by giving him a teddy bear instead of a parrot because he can't see well enough to tell the difference?  And then names said bear Barr and teaches it to swagger and squawk, swashbuckle and spit.  This book carries a message of believing you can do a job well even if you're not the usual type of person (or animal or thing) to do it, but it's also just plain, flat out fun!  And Barr's got another secret as well... but you'll have to read the book to find out what it is :)

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

Now, since last week's Friday post was long, you are excused early today :)

Please join us Monday when Clara Bowman-Jahn shares the story of the idea behind her debut picture book - Annie's Special Day!

And PPBF bloggers, please leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come see what fabulous books you've selected this week!

Have a GREAT weekend, everyone! :)