Captain Wag and the Polar Bears by Michael Terry
| Captain Wag and the Polar Bears by Michael Terry | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
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| Summary: A gentle book about pirates heading to the Arctic. It's aimed at those on the upper age range of picture books, but they might want a little more bite in their stories. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: September 2009 |
| Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing | |
| ISBN: 978-0747597827 | |
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We last saw Captain Wag when he was involved with a big blue whale. This time around the salty seadog heads to the Arctic to rescue his nemesis Pirate Ginger Tom from some polar bears.
For a pirate adventure, it all feels rather sedate. Perfect for very young ones then? Well, perhaps, but there's a little more text and a slightly more challenging vocabulary than the average picture book. Perfect for slightly sensitive children? Well, perhaps again, but I'm not sure who wants some adventure on the high seas, but not too much. There's nothing at all that I dislike about Captain Wag and the Polar Bears in the right context, but I'm not sure who the ideal target market is.
Leaving that aside, Captain Wag and the Polar Bears is a pleasant read. It's fun going on an adventure with Captain Wag and his chums, coming face to face with polar bears, and realising that even rogues like Ginger Tom deserve saving sometimes. The inclusion of stickers is a great idea - what child doesn't love stickers? They'll enjoy making their own Arctic scenes and making up their own stories.
Michael Terry's illustrations match the tone of the book: all the characters are cute and cuddly. The Arctic landscape is vast, but not scary. I particularly loved the page with the blizzard - it oozes atmosphere. There's also a penguin (yes, yes, I know: Antarctic) who can be spotted on a number of pages, which also adds to the fun.
Do take a look at Captain Wag and the Polar Bears in case it strikes a chord with your children. My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.
The Three Little Pirates by Georgie Adams and Emily Bolam is a great pirate book, as is Class Three All At Sea by Julia Jarman and Lynne Chapman.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Captain Wag and the Polar Bears by Michael Terry at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Captain Wag and the Polar Bears by Michael Terry at Amazon.com.
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