Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Long John Silver meets Winnie-the-Pooh in this goofy yarn by an author-and-illustrator team making their children’s book debut. The high-seas shenanigans start when Captain Cur, who wears an eyepatch on one eye and a monocle on the other, loses his eyepiece and his parrot. Cur sends his first and second mates, Spittleton and Loot, to filch a new eyepiece and a new bird, but the mischievous Loot hides the replacement monocle and gives Cur a golden-brown stuffed bear for his shoulder. Cur’s crew chortles at the sight of the unknowing captain and his plush toy (humorously nicknamed “Barr”), but the teddy takes piracy seriously and earns the respect of the scalawag bunch. While Barr is original, the pirates themselves are a stereotypical lot of snaggletoothed misfits, and the overlong text depends on clich?. Stuffed-animal lovers may give this tale a hearty har har, but others may tire of the coy characterizations (“I’m a walking, talking teddy,” Barr declares) and the distended, one-joke plot. Ages 5-7. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2-When his parrot dies and he accidentally steps on his monocle, Captain Cur demands that his band of pirates replace them. With their next plunder, they unwittingly return with a talking teddy bear-a “girlie teddy” no less-instead of a bird. The visually impaired Cur places the bear on his shoulder and the pirates break out in laughter. Quartermaster Bellows explains “‘Tis the dreaded ‘giggles of fear’-Why your bird leapt at the men, and they be afeared of it.” The pirates teach the bear how to squawk, spit, and swashbuckle, and at the next raid, the besieged sailors break out in howls of laughter, surrendering their merchant ship. But the pirates meet their match when they encounter Captain McDagger on the Sea Weasel. Captain Cur’s days are numbered unless his teddy bear can save the day. Most illustrations are on detailed, colorful double-page spreads that include inset images. The characters are drawn with a wide array of expressions that enhance the story. In one scene, McDagger is shown faceless in shades of gray, descending like a shadow behind the unsuspecting Cur. Consider adding this lengthy yarn where pirate stories are in high demand.
Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Captain Cur’s parrot is dead, his monocle is broken, and his “mood is bad and getting worse.” Spittleton and Loot set off to shoplift pirate paraphernalia, but return with a teddy bear, Barr, instead (Loot pockets the monocle for himself). The near-blind Captain mistakes the bear for his new polly. Quartermaster Bellows plans to toss the bear overboard, but Barr proves herself to be a talking teddy capable of the squawking, swaggering, swashbuckling, and spitting required of a pirate parrot. When Barr ultimately saves Captain Cur from the swordplay of Captain McDagger, Cur discovers the lifted monocle and the true identity of his shoulder-side mate. Barr proudly proclaims herself to be a “fur-feathered, sharp-toothed, beady-eyed buzzard of a bird!” but, aye, the Captain already knew that. Comic book conventions enliven and mobilize the bold caricatures. This silly sea farce, illustrated by Jim McFarland, is worth its salt, and kids will cheer for the brave Barr! Amy Brandt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
From Kirkus Reviews
A hyperopic pirate, curmudgeonly at the best of times, loses his parrot and monocle, much to the dismay of his crew. In a bumbling attempt to restore the captains questionable good humor, the crew inadvertently steal a teddy bear instead of a new bird. Farsighted as he is, Captain Cur fails to notice the discrepancy. To the astonishment of the men, the teddy is female and capable of walking and talking. The crew, loath to rouse their captains ire, hide the pilfered monocle, hoping to replace the teddy (now masquerading as a parrot) with the real thing before the mistake is discovered. McFarland builds the tale around the humor of this preposterous situation, from the dreaded giggles of fear Cur encounters whenever he appears with his furry friend, to the scurvy shipmates coaching a cuddly teddy bear in pirate etiquette. McFarlands comic illustrations burst with color, depicting the riotous life on board a pirate ship. One caveat: the denouement, when Cur encounters a warship, contains the sole violent scene in the book, as Barr, the teddy, rips the earring out of Captain McDaggers ear and gets a corner of her own ear lopped off in return. Aside from this rather graphic moment, the rest of the tale is surprisingly violence-free, especially considering its subject of high seas piracy. Aye, aye, Captain. (Picture book. 5-7)– Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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