Tough Boris by Mem Fox

Pirates are tough, rugged and have hearts of stone, right?

In Tough Boris, a young boy gets captured by a ship of pirates captained by Tough Boris, a cruel-faced man. This tale, told in pictures by Kathryn Brown, sheds light on the humanity of even the toughest men.

As a mother of two boys I appreciate this look at how even the meanest pirates have a softer side.

Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long

I found Pirates Don't Change Diapers first and loved the title. But it is actually a sequel to How I Became A Pirate.

Both books are hilariously illustrated by David Shannon who took Long's vision for how a little boy, Jeremy Jacob, becomes involved with Braid Beard and his ship of pirates. I knew this book would hit a dream-spot with my two boys and I was right.

Jeremy Jacob must watch his baby sister--a damper for all things pirate-like. However, when Braid Beard shows up at his door, even a baby sister can't stop the fun. In fact, she ends up offering the pirates an adventure they had NEVER experienced before.