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CM . . .
. Volume XXII Number 14. . . .December 4, 2015
excerpt:
The Pirate's Daughter, by Christophe Miraucourt, is part of the “Race Further with Reading” series aimed at helping children develop a love for reading while providing books and subject matter that is age-appropriate. Delphine Vaufrey's bright illustrations are another element that adds to this child friendly book. The Pirate's Daughter is a swashbuckling tale of a young girl, Melinda, who wants to grow up to be just like her dad—a real, scary pirate! Unfortunately, she knows that “there was no such thing as a girl pirate” (p. 4). Despite that, she still dreams of adventure and finding gold. Because her father's birthday is nearing, Melinda decides to write him a poem. After buying some parchment, her brother, Ricky, starts to tease her and takes her work away from her. Though annoyed, Melinda is also glad because, when he put it near the candle, it “[revealed] a map on the parchment!” (p. 15). Then begins Melinda's escapade of trying to find the treasure for a real great gift to give to her father. The only problem is that Ricky tries to beat her to it. When faced with booby traps, Melinda's commonsense leads her to save her brother, and he admits to her that “'you are as brave and clever as a pirate'” (p. 32). The siblings continue to face the treasure hunt together, with a surprising ending! Delphine Vaufrey's illustrations are bright and full of movement. Melinda's bold personality is brilliantly drawn with colour and wonderful facial expression. Some pages are not whole or half-page illustrations but are smaller pictures that add to the text of the story, like a map (p. 20). These drawings are a nice distraction for the reader who may be struggling a little. Vaufrey's engaging work is a wonderful addition to this adventurous story. Christophe Miraucourt's The Pirate's Daughter is a story that will be enjoyed by young and old alike. Since the story is broken up by chapters, children learning how to read will feel a sense of accomplishment as they read the story and conquer it chapter by chapter, all the while enjoying Melinda's bravery and perilous plights. Recommended.
Nikita Griffioen is currently finishing up her degree at British Columbia’s University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, will go on to teach high school, and hopes to write and illustrate books of her own.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
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