There Was an Old Pirate Who Swallowed a Fish

K-Gr 3—Ahoy there, me hearties! This is a fun new take on "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." The colorful and zany cartoon art does a phenomenal job of capturing the absurdity and hilarity of this outrageous spin-off. A harum-scarum old pirate encounters misfortune at sea as he ingests one unpalatable item after another. From a whole fish to a chest of gold to a large ship, these unappetizing items lead to the untimely demise of this sea-worn picaroon. The text is engaging and melodic. Boys and girls alike will love to sing each comical new verse. Anticipation builds as each item introduced grows larger and larger and children eagerly await the dramatic ending. The digitally created illustrations are boldly colorful and delightful. Children will linger on each page, not wanting to miss any details. Although many collections contain numerous versions of this tale, this one is modern and highly appealing. The cumulative and repetitive nature of the story is great for actively involving the youngest readers/listeners.—Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE