Young Jeremy Jacob is plucked from obscurity while innocently constructing a sand castle and is thrust into a brand-new life as a pirate. Captain Braid Beard and his crew recognize Jeremy as an exceptionally talented digger and they happen to be in desperate need of a digger to help them bury a treasure chest. Jeremy thinks a pirate life sounds like fun, as long as he’s back the next day in time for soccer practice, and so he goes along with the ragtag group of seafaring thugs (with hearts of gold, naturally). And while Jeremy adores the pirates’ lack of table manners and opposition to vegetables, he comes to realize that a life away from his parents lacks some of the niceties to which he’s become accustomed. Nobody tucks him in at night, for instance, and the only book available to read is a treasure map. Melinda Long’s story, narrated with a sense of boastful exaggeration by Jeremy, is full of a sense of high adventure that's lovingly evocative of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tales. David Shannon's illustrations, full of a goofy vibrancy, are a perfect accompaniment to the story. (Ages 4 to 8) --John Moe


From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-Long has selected an irresistible combination for this age group-pirates and soccer. Jeremy Jacob is building a sand castle when a pirate ship lands nearby. His parents are preoccupied with other chores, so he takes off for an adventure on the high seas to help the men bury their treasure chest. He learns that buccaneers don't bother with manners or bedtimes, which is just fine with him, but it also means no bedtime stories or being tucked in. He tries to teach the pirates to play soccer, at least until the ball gets swallowed by a shark. When a storm hits, forcing the crew to return to shore, Jeremy solves the dilemma of where to bury the treasure-in his own backyard. He even makes it home in time for soccer practice. Paired with Shannon's energetic acrylics of a colorful crew of pop-eyed, snaggly toothed pirates seen from a variety of zany viewpoints (including upside down) and a small boy who is clearly having the time of his life, this rollicking adventure is sure to be a favorite with the storytime crowd.Laurie Edwards, West Shore School District, Camp Hill, PACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 3. "Pirates have green teeth--when they have any teeth at all." So begins young Jeremy Jacob's witty recounting of his unexpected high-seas adventure. While building a sand castle at the beach, Jeremy spies a pirate ship. When he's asked to join its crew, he can't resist. On board, he does all sorts of fun pirate stuff: singing sea chanteys, learning pirate lingo, eating with one's hands. And he doesn't have to eat vegetables or take a bath! But, alas, Jeremy soon discovers, there's no goodnight kiss or bedtime story, so there's something to be said for home; besides, he has soccer practice. The rollicking tale is a charmer, with a lively, witty, first-person narrative, highly expressive characters, and farcical elements, including pirate captain Braid Beard's braided beard and his crew's enthusiastic vocal repetitions, in big, bold type, which add read-aloud pep. Shannon's acrylic art is marvelously animated, with bright, bold colors and extraordinary details, from the not-too-scary pirates' green teeth to the deep-blue sloshing sea. Along with swashbuckling humor and fantasy, kids will find much to relate to and appreciate--from excitement and family comforts to the joy of playing soccer. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Child Magazine
"Caldecott Honor-winner Shannon spices up this spirited pirate tale with vivid, appropriately zany acrylics."


Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Long's dry, tongue-in-cheek humor serves as an ideal springboard for Shannon's gleefully madcap illustrations."


Teaching K-8
"A roaring good read."


Child Magazine, Sep 1 2003
"Caldecott Honor-winner Shannon spices up this spirited pirate tale with vivid, appropriately zany acrylics."


Publishers Weekly (starred review), Jul 7 2003
"Long's dry, tongue-in-cheek humor serves as an ideal springboard for Shannon's gleefully madcap illustrations."


San Diego Union-Tribune, Sep 7 2003
"Shannon's illustrations... are a page-turning glory. Long's clever and spiriteed text leaves other pirate books in the bilge."


Review
"Readers will be blown away by this rowdy gang, depicted in richly robust, humorrous paintings."


Book Description
When Braid Beard's pirate crew invites Jeremy Jacob to join their voyage, he jumps right on board. Buried treasure, sea chanteys, pirate talk--who wouldn't go along? Soon Jeremy Jacob knows all about being a pirate. He throws his food across the table and his manners to the wind. He hollers like thunder and laughs off bedtime. It's the heave-ho, blow-the-man-down, very best time of his life. Until he finds out what pirates don't do--no reading bedtime stories, no tucking kids in. . . . Maybe being a pirate isn't so great after all.
Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Shannon teams up with witty storyteller Melinda Long for a hilarious look at the finer points of pirate life.



About the Author
MELINDA LONG is a teacher and the author of several picture books. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina.

DAVID SHANNON is the illustrator of many successful picture books. His numerous awards include a Caldecott Honor for No, David! He lives in Burbank, California.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Ahoy, ye maties! Get ready for a seafaring look at the pros and cons of pirating in this adventurous tale from Melinda Long and Duck on a Bike illustrator David Shannon.

When Jeremy Jacob goes to the beach with his family, he doesn't expect to be invited by pirates to help bury their treasure chest. So with an "Aye! Treasure!" and a look of adventure in their eyes, the band of swashbucklers -- led by peg-legged Braid Beard -- whisk the boy off to their ship. At first, Jeremy is thrilled by the pirates' rowdy lifestyle, such as their bad "pirate manners" ("Braid Bears gulped his food and said, 'Hand over the meat!' 'The meat!' we all roared.") and their lawless bedtime ways, but he thinks twice after realizing that "Pirates don't tuck" anyone in, and when a storm hits the boat, "Nobody had time to sit close and tell me it would be over soon." Thankfully, though, the treasure gets buried and the pirates drop Jeremy off -- until the next time, whenever he's ready.

Filled with Shannon's jolly scenes of Jeremy cavorting with wild-eyed, scar-faced pirates, this imaginative treasure will bring out the "Aaargh!" in you. The illustrator's deep, lush colors are as fresh as a tropical ocean breeze, while Long's text makes for a terrifically thoughtful romp. One yo-ho-hilarious voyage! Matt Warner

ANNOTATION

Jeremy Jacob joins Braid Beard and his pirate crew and finds out about pirate language, pirate manners, and other aspects of their life.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

When Braid Beard's pirate crew invites Jeremy Jacob to join their voyage, he jumps right on board. Buried treasure, sea chanteys, pirate talk--who wouldn't go along? Soon Jeremy Jacob knows all about being a pirate. He throws his food across the table and his manners to the wind. He hollers like thunder and laughs off bedtime. It's the heave-ho, blow-the-man-down, very best time of his life. Until he finds out what pirates don't do--no reading bedtime stories, no tucking kids in. . . . Maybe being a pirate isn't so great after all.Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Shannon teams up with witty storyteller Melinda Long for a hilarious look at the finer points of pirate life.

SYNOPSIS

When Jeremy Jacob sets off on a pirate adventure, he loves doing everything the pirates do . . . but then he finds out what they DON'T do.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Landlubbers, take heart! Here's a tale of a lad who sets sail and finds he prefers the comforts of home. Equipped with pail and shovel, young Jeremy Jacob is happily constructing a sandcastle and moat when his day at the beach takes an unexpected turn. A ship sails in with a Jolly Roger raised on the mast, and the boy narrator runs to tell his parents. As with his No, David! and its sequels, Shannon plays off the straight text. "I tried to tell Mom, but she was busy slathering my baby sister with sunblock" inspires an illustration of the mother being assaulted by the infant (which also explains why she doesn't notice the boy's prolonged absence). When the crew hits the beach, they discover they're lost ("We must have taken a wrong turn at Bora Bora"), note Jeremy's skills with a shovel ("We've been needin' a digger like yourself. We've a chest of treasure to bury") and whisk the willing boy away. The buccaneers prove an agreeable lot at first, teaching him sea chanteys, pirate lingo and table manners ("Down the hatch!"; "Hand over the meat!"). But when bedtime rolls around (Shannon depicts a pillow fight in full swing), the pirates won't tuck him in ("No tucking!") or read him a story. The text's vigorous chorus-like repetitions invite aspiring maties to join in, and Long's dry, tongue-in-cheek humor serves as an ideal springboard for Shannon's gleefully madcap illustrations. The pirates are about as ragtag and dentally challenged a group of scurvy salts as ever sailed the high seas, and a clever visual surprise brings the shipboard adventure to a close. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Mary Quattlebaum

Wannabe buccaneers of all ages will relish How I Became a Pirate. Melinda Young spins a rollicking yarn of Jeremy Jacob's adventures with Braid Beard and his green-toothed pirates. Rich in "pirate-speak," the book begs to be read aloud for the sheer joy of trumpeting phrases such as "Shiver me timbers!" and "Down the hatch, me laddies!" Treasure is buried, a fearsome storm braved and Jeremy delivered back to his parents' beach blanket in time for soccer practice. With humor and verve, Caldecott-winning illustrator David Shannon serves up a swashbuckling crew complete with eye patches, peg legs and enough bad teeth to fascinate all those kids who hate brushing. 2003, Harcourt, Ages 3 up.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-In this hilarious adventure on the high seas, a young beachcomber is enlisted by a snaggle-toothed pirate crew because he is a good digger. Readers will be blown away by this rowdy gang, depicted in richly robust, humorous paintings. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews