Best Pirate

Winters, Kari-Lynn. (2017). Illustrated by Dean Griffiths. Sequel to Bad Pirate and Good Pirate

In Bad Pirate, unlikely buccaneer Augusta Garrick that integrity pays off, even when it means running against the pack. In Good Pirate, the sea pup was still under pressure to fit in, this time by abandoning her love for fancy things. By now, Augusta Garrick has proven that her helpful and gentle-hearted ways don’t make her a bad pirate. In fact, she is even a good pirate. But when her clumsiness destroys a treasure map and injures First Mate Scully, she knows she must learn to be even better.

Eager to make things right, Augusta sets out alone for Crossbones Island. She may not have a map, but she is nimble and fearless! At least, she is trying to be fearless. But there are strange shadows on Crossbones Island, and the Tuna Lubbers’ crew of fierce pirate cats is after the treasure, too. When she finds herself in a dangerous situation with one of the Tuna Lubbers, will Augusta manage to be the better pirate?…

  • 32 pages

  • Published By Pajama Press

  • ISBN: 978-1-77278-019-2

About The Illustrator

Dean Griffiths is a popular picture book artist with more than 25 titles to his name. His many awards include the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Book Prize for Maggie Can’t Wait and the Chocolate Lily Award for Ballerinas Don’t Wear Glasses. Dean’s 2012 title Lumpito and the Painter from Spain has been nominated for the SYRCA Shining Willow Award and was a Bank Street Best Book. His most previous book is Bad Pirate. Dean lives in Duncan, British Columbia, with his daughter.

Reviews

  • "Cat person or dog person? Choose your side and hang on for the ride as the Tuna Lubbers and the Frilly Dogs race to find the booty in Best Pirate. No need to put on a pirate voice to recount this tale; the author takes care of that by writing the dialogue in polished pirate speak. It’s easy to flub like a landlubber the first time around, but, “We’z all be learnin’ from the best.” In this tale, sea pup Augusta sets out solo to Crossbones Island to dig up the doubloons after accidentally destroying her father’s map. When she comes face to face with a pirate kitty, she learns that working together—even if it involves an arch-enemy—is the best way out of a jam and sharing makes us all richer. The richly colored illustrations, dramatic expressions of the characters, and dialogue written on scrolls pull readers into the pirate drama."

    Review in “Coastal Kids’ Books to Cozy Up with This Season” by Raina Delisle (December 7, 2017)

  • "Kari-Lynn Winters follows the format of the first two pirate books, with playful, pirate language scattered throughout the story and with much of the dynamic text appearing on floating pieces of sail. The battle between the “Frilly Dogs” and the “Tuna Lubbers” is forecast even on the title and dedication pages. And the end pages once again feature a glossary of pirate lingo and nautical talk. The design of this book is cleverly conceived. The buoyant text is mirrored in the dazzling artwork by Dean Griffiths. The wildly colourful and detailed drawings are expressive, action-packed and filled with humour. Griffiths’ charming illustrations have depth and pull the reader right into the story."

    Review by Reesa Cohen in CM Magazine 24:7 (October 20, 2017)

  • "Best Pirate is full of pirate language that begs to be read aloud in your best pirate voice. In his illustrations, Griffiths has managed to create a whole collection of funny, diverse, detailed, and expressive dog and cat characters. Amid the lush setting, detailed characters, and funny language lies an adventure story with a heartwarming message. Even though Augusta is a dog and a pirate, her bravery, kindness, and desire to please her family is something that every kid can relate to and aspire to."

    Review in Resource Links (October 2017)

  • "Best Pirate is a wonderful, amusing tale that shows sometimes it takes smarts, rather than fighting, to get out of a sticky situation. And sometimes an enemy may really be a friend . . . if you’re willing to work together. The story is beautifully illustrated with expressive characters that capture the imagination of those reading or listening to this pirate tale. To get readers and listeners into a proper frame of mind for the story, the inside front cover features examples of Pirate Talk and the inside back cover has Nautical Talk, as well as a diagram showing the parts of a ship. This is the third tale featuring Augusta Barnacle and it’s the best one yet!"

    “Books for Young Pirates” by Cindy Vallar

Previous

On My Swim
Next

On My Bike