Pirates on the Farm
Written by Denette Fretz
Illustrated by Gene Barretta
What a dream come true! Pirates moving in NEXT DOOR! Joey was thrilled. Mother, not so much. Fortunately, Dad was one of those people who could see past the outside and straight to the heart. Oh the adventures that were had by the pirates and their neighbors. Dad kept on loving and accepting those pirates and eventually Mother came around and saw their good hearts for herself.
Written from the viewpoint of Joey’s sister, this story is sure to appeal to young girls, especially girls with younger brothers. Due to the swashbuckling, plank walking and other shenanigans, just about every boy will find this story appealing.
This is a great story for all children and would make a great read aloud for a first grade class. The illustrations make comprehension a breeze. It teaches the importance of acceptance. People who are different have value and can often teach us new things, just like the pirates did for Joey and his family. It helps us see the potential for good in others. Toward the end of the story the pirates prove to be great farmers and have even been putting “offerings” (gold teeth) in the church offering plate. This book would be an excellent resource for the beginning of the school year or even for Sunday School when there are new “friends” coming together for the first time.
All kinds of fun information can be found at Denette Fretz’s website http://denettefretz.com/. This includes Joey’s journal entries, fun to read and added value for the book.
If you fell in love with the illustrations like I did then you will not want to miss Gene Barretta’s website http://www.genebarretta.com/ . So many precious illustrations and more information on Mr. Barretta.
Title: Pirates on the Farm- Author: Denette Fretz
- Illustrator: Gene Barretta
- Publisher: Zonderkidz, 2013
- Reviewer: Sandi Waymire
- Format: Hardcover, 40 pages
- ISBN: 978-0-310-72348-6
- Genre: Fantasy, Humor