Pirate Nell's Tale to Tell: A Storybook Adventure

by Helen Docherty, Thomas Docherty (Illustrator)

Overview

From the author/illustrator team behind The Snatchabook comes a book-filled adventure on the high seas!

Nell is finally a pirate!

And she has her trusty Pirate's Almanac to help her sail the seas, even if Captain Gnash doesn't like books on his ship. But when the journey gets rough and the captain is in trouble, it's Nell and all her pirate knowledge that saves the day and leads them to the greatest buried treasure of all…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728261614
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	257,742
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Helen Docherty has spent most of her career as a language teacher, most recently specializing in Spanish. She lives in Wales with her husband and co-author, Thomas, and their two young daughters.

Thomas Docherty studied metalwork and sculpture at college before becoming an illustrator of children’s book. He lives in Wales with his wife and co-author Helen and their two young daughters. His website is thomasdocherty.co.uk.

Editorial Reviews

" A fantastic read aloud for the school library and especially during "Talk Like A Pirate Day" reading celebrations." — Youth Services Book Review

"Some challenging vocabulary serves to enhance children’s understanding of new words, and the overall message places books and reading in a position of great importance...[A] perfect addition to school and library curricula for elementary school–aged readers." — School Library Journal

"Overall, a charming high-seas adventure that ties in reading and the power of following your dreams, PIRATE NELL'S TALE TO TELL is sure to delight young readers." — Olivia Farr,YA and Kids Books Central

"Secure the mainsail and set a course for a howling good adventure." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

08/01/2020

Gr 1–4—Nell is beyond excited to begin her life as a pirate. She has read all about pirating in her favorite books, and she knows that the real experience is going to be even better than she can imagine. However, Captain Gnash is not the most supportive leader; he does not approve of Nell or her love of reading. Even though the crew takes to her quickly, Nell finds her spirits dampen when she is assigned only menial tasks. At a particularly low point, Nell makes a wish and she is rewarded with a treasure map—one that is promptly commandeered by the captain. A nasty storm tests Nell's pirate skills and, when the sky clears, the crew discovers one of the greatest treasures of all. Vibrant, detailed illustrations feature dogs of all kinds. A pleasant rhyming meter recounts Nell's story, breaking from its eight-syllable pattern only occasionally. Some challenging vocabulary serves to enhance children's understanding of new words, and the overall message places books and reading in a position of great importance. VERDICT Just in time for Talk Like a Pirate Day, this book is a perfect addition to school and library curricula for elementary school–aged readers.—Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.

School Library Journal

2020-06-30
A literary cur teaches her fellow buccaneers that there be treasure in them thar books!

Book-smart pup Nell joins an all-dog pirate crew with big dreams. “For great adventures filled her head / from every tale she’d ever read.” She even has her trusty Pirate’s Almanac to help this young dog learn some new tricks. But Capt. Gnash, an amputee bulldog with a bone for a prosthesis instead of a peg leg, has no respect for bookishness and belittles the peppy pup. Undeterred, Nell finds a treasure map only to have it snatched by Gnash. Ignoring Nell’s good advice, he soon finds himself in need of her rescue, and when the treasure is at last discovered, is it any wonder that it’s 20 treasure chests full of books? Gnash sees the error of his ways, and Nell not only teaches the crew to read, but converts the boat into a floating library. The upbeat rhyming text keeps the plot moving at a fair clip and sails past the occasional awkward turn of phrase (is it possible to “snap…with a sneer”?). Cheery art has a friendly, cartoony look, and its buoyant tenor will make even the scurviest wag yearn for a tropical isle of their own. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-22.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 27.7% of actual size.)

A pox on the haters! Secure the mainsail and set a course for a howling good adventure. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews