Tim Bowers Archives -

Pirate’s Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime by Marcie Wessels

August 25, 2015
goodreadswithronna
Ages 3-7, Bedtime & Dreams, Bedtime Stories, Children's Book Reviews, Family & Relationships, Family - Parents, Humorous Stories, Juvenile Fiction, Pirate Story, Read-alouds, Rhyming book

PIRATE’S LULLABY: MUTINY AT BEDTIME
Written by Marcie Wessels
Illustrated by Tim Bowers
(Doubleday Books for Young Readers; $16.99, Ages 3-7)

I first heard about Pirate’s Lullaby when Marcie Wessels spoke at a writer’s conference almost a year ago and it’s been worth the wait to get the book knowing all the hard work that went into. So did I enjoy reading Wessels debut picture book, Pirate’s Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime? Arrrgh! Can ye hear me, mateys? It’s a keeper alright. Kids love a good pirate tale and with Wessels’ perfectly metered rhyme and illustrator Tim Bowers’ adorable artwork, they’ll be in for a treat.

The story isn’t complicated, but it’s charming and one that so many parents and children will relate to, which is why the subtitle, Mutiny at Bedtime is so apt. Papa Pirate wants his young son, not-so-sleepy Ned, to get to bed, but alas the little scalawag balks at the suggestion.

PiratesLullaby_INTERIORS-3 — Interior Artwork from Pirate’s Lullaby by Marcie Wessels with illustrations by Tim Bowers, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, ©2015.

Bowers portrays Papa Pirate as a kind, smiling man. Wessels gently demonstrates that, despite Ned’s dad being nice, he’s also a limit-setting father, who dearly loves his son and gets a kick out of his stalling antics. Still the laddie must get some shut-eye! Thus the story pits the persistent papa against the procrastinating pirate-in-training in a playful back and forth that never misses a beat.

PiratesLullaby_INTERIORS-7 — Interior Artwork from Pirate’s Lullaby by Marcie Wessels with illustrations by Tim Bowers, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, ©2015.

First Ned has some chores to finish up. Then he can’t locate Captain Teddy, his eye-patched cuddly companion. Could he have fallen overboard?

There’s the requisite request for water followed by a plea for Papa to spin a yarn or two and, last but not least is Ned’s desire for Papa Pirate to sing “a shanty of the oceans vast and deep.” The clever twist at the story’s end will surprise and delight readers young and old.

PiratesLullaby_INTERIORS-9 — Interior Artwork from Pirate’s Lullaby by Marcie Wessels with illustrations by Tim Bowers, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, ©2015.

Of course, Wessels has included all the appropriate pirate verbiage kids love such as:

Ned shimmied up the mainmast, grinning ear to ear.
“Walk the plank to catch me,” cried the little mutineer.
“Ho, ho,” laughed Papa Pirate, “I’m afraid ye’ve met yer match!
Gotcha, little rascal. Down ye go into the hatch!”

“Ye’ve got yer mate, ye’ve had a drink,
Ye’ll have yer bedtime tale.
Ye must be getting sleepy.
Ain’t the wind out of yer sail?”

And though Talk Like a Pirate Day is soon approaching, why wait until September 19th to practice your Aye, Ayes, your Batten Down the Hatches and your Yo, Ho Hos? Pirate’s Lullaby just begs to be read aloud with the best pirate voice ye can muster!

It’s hard to resist a well-crafted picture book with artwork that’s warm and inviting coupled with rhyme that’s top notch, so what are ye waitin’ fer, mateys? Add this little gem to your own little pirate’s bedtime book treasure chest so yer both can go catch yer forty winks with satisfied grins on yer faces!

Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Knuckleball Ned by R.A. Dickey with Michael Karounos & illustrated by Tim Bowers

June 18, 2014
goodreadswithronna
Ages 3-5, Baseball, Bullying, Children's Book Reviews, Juvenile Fiction

Knuckleball Ned is reviewed by MaryAnne Locher.

Knuckleball Ned by R.A. Dickey with Michael Karounos and illustrated by Tim Bowers, Dial Books for Young Readers, 2014.

What do you get when a Cy Young award-winning pitcher, best-selling author, father of four, and children’s literacy advocate teams up with a seasoned illustrator? A home run!

Knuckleball Ned by R.A. Dickey with Michael Karounos and illustrated by Tim Bowers (Dial Books for Young Readers, $17.99, Ages 3-5), tackles the always timely, tough subjects of bullying and self-acceptance in a way that preschoolers will relate to and understand. Bower’s colorful illustrations done in acrylic paint, opaque washes, and finished off with airbrushing achieve the rounded heads of the characters and lend humor to a serious subject.

The first day of school is about to start and Ned is nervous about making friends. You see, Ned has wobbled “for as long as he could remember.” He’s off to a bumpy start as he jiggle-joggles down the aisle of the bus, knocking into all the other balls. Sammy the Softball, by far the largest ball, offers Ned a seat and the two become fast friends.

When The Foul Ball Gang, a trio of rough and tumble bullies, cause nothing but trouble for Ned and his friends, Mrs. Pitch, their teacher, has her hands full juggling all the different types of balls in her classroom. Everyone seems to know what kind of ball they are, except for Ned. Besides Sammy, there are Fletcher and Fiona Fastball, Connie Curveball, and Ned, who has been cruelly dubbed a knucklehead by The Foul Ball Gang. When The Foul Ball Gang steals Connie’s shoes and tosses them high into a tree, all her friends attempt to help get the shoes down – unsuccessfully. All but Ned, that is. Sammy launches Ned off a seesaw and he sails seamlessly through the branches where he retrieves Connie’s shoes.

“Ned! I know about balls like you,” cried Connie. “You’re a knuckleball!”

Ned decides he loves being a knuckleball, especially when it allows him to save the day and be a hero.

This Tee Ball and Baseball season, why not pick up a copy of Knuckleball Ned? You’ll certainly score points with your little ones who perhaps will be entering school for the first time in the fall, discovering who they are and where they’ll fit in.