Lucy and the Pirates
by Glen Petrie, illustrated by Matilda Harrison
"Tradewind. Canada's newest children's press has come up with a winner. Lucy and the Pirates
is a rollicking, old fashioned adventure tale which keeps youngsters from five to ten spell bound
from the gorgeous cover to the touching finale. Artist Mattilde Harrison has captured each tiny detail
in paintings which are as complex as a Breughal painting with dozens of figures carefully rendered
dancing the fandango and scraping barnacles from the bottom of pirate ships.
Lucy, the heroine, and her companion runaway slave, Wilkins, perform feats of bravery and daring which hold young
readers rivited. Rachel said that her favourite part was "where Susan Redshanks and Gunpowder Jane fooled the jailer
and stole his key." This is a book to be read aloud and discussed with children, examining the pictures closely so
they can discover the intricate detail. Fiona, aged eight, commented "I really enjoyed the artistic detail, Look at the
old fashioned bubble glass and how things look when you are looking through the windows of the village and the waves
and sky are so well painted." Each page has smaller inset drawings which illustrate various aspects of the tale and give
expressive portraits of the colourful characters such as Parson Smirke and his scowling cousins, the Misses Weevil.
Night scenes, aerial views and one fascinating four-sided border painting provide endless spicy detail. This book is
as enjoyable for adults as for children and would be perfect for a 'stay in bed' adventure." -- By Cathleen Smith.
Canadian Children
"Captain Blacktooth of the 40 gun Blacktooth's Revenge is another preposterously wicked figure. In Lucy and the Pirates,
Glen Petrie ransacks the dressing-up chest of yo-ho-ho yarns and leaves; no timber unshivered, no buccaneering
convention unturned. Matilda Harrison eagerly abets with illustrations that look like the Olde Shippe paintings in
dodgy antique markets. There's plenty of satisfaction to be had from the way they make every clich� of the genre walk
the plank." -- By William Feaver. Times (London) Educational Supplement. July 5, 1996
"British novelist Glen Petrie's first book for children is a delightful story in which fearsome pirates meet their match
in the irrepressible Lucy.
Children will cheer and adults will chuckle as they follow Lucy from a quayside village in England across the ocean to
the Caribbean Sea. Matilda Harrison's richly textured illustrations invite the reader to linger and share the joke, adding
many comical details to this entertaining story. Romping across the pages, the pictures reflect the jaunty nature of the
text and bring to life the colourful cast of characters and their daring escapades.
Rather than earn her living scrubbing floors for the scowling Misses Weevil, Lucy sets out on a sailing ship to the West
Indies as a maid for Lady Marietta. Lucy is sad to leave her mother but determined to find her father who had disappeared
while working as a sea-cook.
When Lucy's ship is seized by the wicked pirate Captain Blacktooth and his two fearsome wives, Susan Redshanks and
Gunpowder Jane, Lucy and the cabin boy, Wilkins, are forced to become pirates and the beautiful Lady Marietta is kidnapped.
During many bold adventures on the high seas and on a tropical island, Lucy finds her father, enlists the British Navy to
capture the pirates, and rescues Lady Marietta. Everyone lives happily ever after in this tongue-in-cheek story, for even
the pirate Blacktooth escapes with help from his two wives. Wilkins sails around the world seeking his fortune, and Lucy
and her father return to England and her mother with enough reward money to ensure that Lucy never has to be anyone's maid
again.
Armchair adventurers of all ages will unabashedly enjoy Lucy and the Pirates for its intrepid heroine, intricate story line
and sly humour. Petrie has successfully captured a child's eye view of the world as it ought to be, if only the children
were left in charge." -- By April Gill. Resource Links Vol 1 Number 5 June 1996 |
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