Piratey Plank Prank!
Written: Feb 16 '07 (Updated Jun 03 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Popular Pirate Theme. Very punny; even young ones will get the jokes.
Cons: Not a thing!
The Bottom Line: I highly recommend gifting this book at the next five year old boy's birthday you need to attend. You'll be thanked for years.
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| lisandrea's Full Review: Jane Yolen - Commander Toad and the Space Pirates |
My son & I have now read five of the Commander Toad series books, and I give this one the most webbed thumbs up! Here we find suspense, drama and great humor! Our five familiar characters (Dr. Peeper, Mr. Hop, Lieutenant Lilly, Jake Skyhopper, and of course, brave & bright Commander Toad) seem to be in one big mess of trouble when they are bored as stones, hopping around the galaxy to take little bits of earth to other stars...and go where no amphibians have gone before...and blah blah blah. They're over it! They've read every book on board, they've watched every video (great titles on those movies, by the way: Splash Gordon, etc.!), they've played too many games of hopscotch and leap frog. What next?
Just when they think they'll flatline in boredom, great excitement comes aboard! The heroic crew is overcome by PIRATES! Pirates are a boys' Flavor of the Era. Pirates? How cool! Only, this funny book was written long before the recent pirate hype (1987).
In classic Yolen style, the text is loaded with salamander, frog & toad puns. This woman's brain is alive with words and she knows just how to turn them on for children. This series will be a hit with any 4 and up boy, and this book, with its gangplanks, swords and shenanigans, is a top hitter!
What will the crew do? How will they survive this attack? The reader sits on the edge of his seat, wondering. What will become of our famous commander?
And then the joke is on the crew and on the reader, as it is finally revealed that the whole barrage has been a planned prank--bringing new energy and excitement to the unsuspecting Star Warts crew. Actors, donning fake mustaches, have delivered a sort of singing telegram, accompanied by replacement videos, games and books! Just when all seemed lost; salvation! Well, played, Commander Toad & Star Fleet. Well, played, Jane Yolen & Bruce Degen!
For additional titles by this team see my reviews of Planet of the Grapes, Big Black Hole, The Dis-Asteroid and Commander Toad in Space.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lisandrea
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Location: Virginia
Reviews written: 45
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
AP, NFP, WAHM/SAHM but NO SPAM (thank you, Ma'am)! :O)
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