Pirate

K-Gr 4—In this Australian tale by Adrian Plitzco, a young kookaburra names Pirate finds himself on an unfamiliar farm after a storm. Three dogs and a cat befriend Pirate, so-called because of a circle of black feathers around his left eye and a band of black feathers around his head. The local kookaburras think the young bird is a parrot in disguise because he can't laugh. When the dogs teach Pirate to bark, a poisonous snake lurking in the tall grass is confused. Full-grown kookaburras, easily identified by their raucous laughter, can kill snakes, but this little bird only barks. When a second storm strikes the farm, Pirate remembers where he lives and realizes that his parents must be terribly worried. The old dog Seltze attempts to lead him home, but the long journey through the tall grass wears her out. Pirate ventures out alone and barely escapes the snake, which bites Seltze as she tries to protect the bird. How Pirate and the kookaburras dispatch the snake and the farmer gets Seltze to a veterinarian just in time make an exciting conclusion. The full-cast narration brings each character to life, and Guinevere Spiesberger's performance as Pirate is particularly endearing. Occasional sound effects and pleasant music evoke the Australian landscape. A good choice for elementary collections and social studies units on Australia.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN