The Pirate Tree

August 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-Agu is new to the neighborhood and eager to make friends. He sees Sam playing in a tree, pretending to be a pirate and asks to join the play. Sam is unsure of the newcomer and protests at first, but when she learns that Agu has inside information about the potential for gold in Nigeria, she invites him along on her adventures. The two set sail together, landing on lush deserted islands, and sparring with mean pirates. In the end, a fast and firm friendship forms, one that will cross over the limits of imaginative play. A heartwarming story of friendship and acceptance. The illustrations are soft, created with mixed media, natural textures, and are digitally completed. They artfully depict the beauty of imagination and tell a story of action and adventure. Readers will be rooting for the two, hopeful that they will conquer all obstacles both imaginary and realistic. VERDICT A captivating adventure story for young and elementary-aged readers. Many children will relate, empathy will be promoted, and discussions about kindness, friendliness, and respect can be easily facilitated.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
This is the story of Sam and Agu, two friends and wannabe pirates whose imaginations turn a knobbly tree in the hills into a pirate ship, with a rope serving as an anchor and a white sheet as a sail. At first, Sam, a girl with pale skin and straight, black hair, is all alone playing captain in her imaginary ship, but she is soon joined by Agu, a young boy who has freshly arrived from Nigeria. She ignores his approach at first and is reluctant to have him onboard "her" ship given that she doesn't know him and that he is not "from her street." She is quick, however, to take interest in his foreign origin and, above all, his knowledge of boats, being that he was actually onboard a real ship, sailing over a real ocean, traveling out of Nigeria. The pair strikes up and cherishes an unlikely friendship, embarking on all sorts of adventures--battling imaginary storms and fighting other make-believe pirates...all before dinnertime. The book, albeit with a somewhat naïve and oversimplified plot, is a tribute to friendships built between protagonists of diverse origins yet with shared interests in common. Uncomplicated and colorful illustrations on two-page spreads do justice to a simple yet inspiring narrative, visually incorporating elements of their creative play. Uplifting and perspective-bestowing. (Picture book. 5-8)

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