How I Became a Pirate

Written by Melinda Long

Narrated by Johnny Heller

Melinda Long's How I Became a Pirate is a New York Times best-seller. Jeremy Jacob was sitting on the beach one fine day with his parents when he saw a pirate ship heading their way. He tried to warn his family, but it was already much too late. When the ship landed, the pirates welcomed Jeremy aboard. Jeremy thought that being a pirate would be fun, but it wasn't nearly as nice as he thought it would be. Late one night at sea, a gigantic storm struck, and the pirate ship was wrecked. With nowhere else to go, Jeremy and the pirates go back to his house!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 2, 2008
• ISBN: 9781436141161

Melinda Long

MELINDA LONG is a teacher and the author of the award-winning bestseller How I Became a Pirate. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina.

Reviews for How I Became a Pirate

[Isabella Doucette · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought it was okay. not very true to the historynof pirats. a good kids book thou

[ebrossette · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jeremey Jacob joins a crew of pirates and learns what a normal day is like with them. Eventually, they bury the treasure they have and return Jeremey to shore.This book uses a lot of imagination and the call-and-response would be fun to do during a reader's theatre. However, I wish there would have been one or two facts about pirates in the book.

[eranda2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had mixed feelings about this book after reading it. I liked the book because it had a good plot. For example, when the pirate exclaimed that “We’ve been looking for a digger like yourself”, it made the story engaging. But I didn’t like how there were lots of pirates terms like “Down the hatch” and “Up yonder pole” because young readers can’t relate and comprehend what it means. Overall, it was a silly story of how a young boy was a pirate for the day. The big idea to this story is that pirates don’t follow any particular rules, but do whatever they want.

[jherrm1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are many reasons that I like this book. This book contains very vivid illustrations that are done by David Shannon which captivates the reader as they are reading the story. This book also tells a story about pirates which many kids could connect with because many kids think about being a pirate. Another reason that I enjoy this story is because it shows the importance of not growing up to quick and that you can be a pirate and have all of these dreams but you need to remember how be a kid. I would recommend this book to my younger students.

[estree1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book because the illustrations were both colorful and vivid. I also liked that the plot was well organized and showed the reader all aspects of being a pirate. For example, the narrator first learns how pirates spend their days, then eventually how they spend their nights. I feel that the message of this story is that other places may seem great, but home is always the best place to be.

[scote23 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Honor book for Chickadee Award 2005-2006. One of my favorite picture books ever.

[slcooley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read this book a few times and every time I do, I notice how much I love the illustrations. The story is about a boy who joins a pirate crew, and the pictures depict pirate life perfectly. The illustrations show how dirty the pirates are, and you can see on the boy's face how sad he gets when the pirates don't read him a bed time story. This book would be great to show students how to appreciate what their parents do for them.

[mcs018 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a good book for voice. The students will really love all of the silly things that the pirates do and the voice in the book.

[dukefan86 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As an adult reading a children's book about pirates, the current events about the Somali pirates was in my mind the whole time. That aside, it's a cute book, and the story provides nice reminders that the grass isn't always greener!

[matthewbloome · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is funny, and well worth the read. It's absurdist humor, but it's still widely accessible to all audiences.

[jnd017 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun and interactive book about a boy who wants to become a pirate because no one tells pirates what to do or when to go to bed. But he discovers maybe he doesn't want to be a pirate after all. This is such a fun book full of imagination. This would be a good read aloud book to teach the importance of setting.

[jaimie919 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jeremy Jacob was digging on the beach one day when a pirate ship came to shore! Boy was he excited. The pirates noticed how good of a digger Jeremy was and asked him to come aboard. He was going to bury the treasure for them. Jermey did not think his parents would mind as long as he was back in time for soccer practice. It was great being pirate he was having so much fun. But the fun did not last long when Jeremy realized pirates do not do things like he does at home. He was not tucked in bed or comforted during the storm. Having the mast damaged they had to turn around before they could even bury the treasure. But Jeremy had a great idea. In the end they pirates buried the treasure and jeremy made back in time for soccer practice. The illustrations in this book go along great with this story. Children will love the story and pictures.

[michelleleister · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While at the beach with his family, Jeremy Jacobs is invited on to a pirate ship where pirating adventure is waiting! Nobody tells pirates to eat their spinach, when to go to bed, take a shower, or to brush their teeth. The pirate life is the BEST! Or is it? Who will read a bedtime story to Jeremy, or tuck him into bed at night?

[sguzick_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

During a day of building sandcastles, Jeremy Jacob sets out on the adventure of a lifetime when a ship full of pirates wants to use Jeremy Jacob’s moat digging skills to bury their new treasure. At first, the no-rules life of the pirates has Jeremy Jacob never wanting to return home. When he later realizes that pirates don’t tuck in little boys and read them a book before bedtime, he decides that home is a much better place for him. The sizes of the acrylic images enhanced with thin lines vary from page to page. Some pages are full of colorful images of sunny days and stormy nights on the water and others are composed mostly of white space, black text, and the heads of a handful of pirates looking out at the reader. The pirate captain is a large confident man while the other pirates, with exaggerated facial features, seem confused and dumb. Most pages have about five sentences of black text. The text gets much larger and the font changes when all of the pirates yell in unison. Readers will also learn that, while it is fun to daydream about running away, it is always nice to return home. This book is recommended for elementary school children.

[cwollan09 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Genre: FantasySetting: 5 StarsReview: Jeremy is at the beach with his family when he runs into a bunch of pirates and joins their crew. Shortly onto his journey, he realized why he loves being just a little boy more than being a pirate. This book is a good example of fantasy because the story, characters, setting and events are made to be believable, but could never actually take place in real life.Media: acrylic on illustration board

[dangerlibearian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think this book is pure awesomeness! The title says it all. Love, love, love, David Shannon's illustrations.

[darwindragon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While Jeremy is playing on the beach, he is asked to join a band of pirates, led by Braid Beard. They have an exciting time but Jeremy comes to realize that being a pirate has some drawbacks. David Shannon's illustrations are excellent and the rhyming and repetition make this book fun to read out loud.

[karafrib · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jeremy Jacob is just a normal young boy building a sand castle on a beach—until he sees a pirate ship, and then his whole life changes in Melinda Long’s How I Became a Pirate. Jeremy tries to warn his parents that there is a pirate ship approaching the shore, but his father is too preoccupied with setting up the beach umbrella, and his mother is wrestling with getting sun block on his little sister. So, when the pirates come to shore, note that Jeremy is a “good digger,” and ask him to join him on their search for a place to bury their treasure, Jeremy accepts. Captain Braid Beard and his crew are a friendly group of pirates, who teach Jeremy all about what it takes to be one of them. Jeremy is thrilled that no one has to say “please” or “thank you,” and that eating spinach is not required on board, since they don’t even serve it! They even let Jeremy teach them how to play soccer. But when bed-time comes, Jeremy discovers that no one tucks you in or tells you any bed time stories. The next day, when a storm blows up on the high seas, none of the pirates comfort Jeremy, and he knows that even though manners aren’t required on the pirate ship, he would much rather be home. So when the mast breaks and the pirates don’t know where to go to bury their treasure, Jeremy comes up with the perfect solution, and leads them straight to his backyard.Long’s rhyming words and the lesson that is told through this adventure are an absolute delight, as are David Shannon’s illustrations. The pirates look grungy, but goofy at the same time. Braid Beard’s beard is actually braided, some of the pirates have “mom” tattoos, and one sports two eye-patches (neither of which he needs). There are always pirates popping up on each page, and at one point they are all on the border of the page looking at the reader, making you feel like Jeremy must have felt when he was talking to them and they were all staring down at him. The crew always repeats what Braid Beard says, making for a fun read-aloud. The conclusion of the book brings everything full-circle, as Jeremy practices soccer in his “Pirates” jersey. This high-seas adventure is best suited for grades K-4.

[conuly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So, here you are, digging on the beach, when some pirates show up and ask you to join the crew. Do you say yes? DO YOU SAY YES??? Heck, is the Pope a bear? Of COURSE you say yes!(Wait... the Pope's not a bear, is he? Well, nevermind.)I mean, pirates are GREAT. They eat whatever they like (of course, the lack of vegetables is probably why they get scurvy, you might wanna mention that), they don't brush their (green) teeth, they have no bedtime... they don't tuck you into bed at night, or hug you when you're scared, or read you bedtime stories....Hm.Not quite as fun as it sounds, actually.But there's a happy ending, and soccer isn't missed, and that's the important thing :)

[elizabethholloway · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One day, Jeremy Jacob is building sand castle when pirates land on the beach and take him with them to bury their treasure. He gets to do all the fun stuff pirates do: eat with his hands, sing pirate songs and never brush his teeth. He also learns that pirates don't tuck children in or provide comfort during a storm. He soon returns home and buries the pirate treasure in his backyard. This fun story allows for adventure and safety. The illustrations portray benevolent, fun-loving pirates whose expressions add humor to the book. The repetition of the captain's commands is not only funny but adds a cadence to the story that young readers in particular will enjoy. This book is appropriate for ages 3 to 8.

[nancyjensen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Every now and then I like a good pirate story. This is a great one, especially for the Pre K class that loves dress up and costume time. David Shannon's imaginative illustrations capture and highlight all the fun in the text, it's a rollicking adventure. But as young Jeremy Jacob learns, living with pirates is not best for always. Family matters, too. This would be fun to read aloud any time of year. Follow up could be dress up play.

[hebeaton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a really cute book about a little boy with a vivid imagination. A day at the beach turns into a pirate expedition when he is kidnapped by pirates. The illustrations are awesome and it is very entertaining.

[sriches_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Young Jeremy Jacob is plucked from obscurity while innocently constructing a sand castle and is thrust into a brand-new life as a pirate. Captain Braid Beard and his crew recognize Jeremy as an exceptionally talented digger and they happen to be in desperate need of a digger to help them bury a treasure chest. Jeremy thinks a pirate life sounds like fun, as long as he's back the next day in time for soccer practice, and so he goes along with the ragtag group of seafaring thugs (with hearts of gold, naturally). And while Jeremy adores the pirates' lack of table manners and opposition to vegetables, he comes to realize that a life away from his parents lacks some of the niceties to which he's become accustomed. Nobody tucks him in at night, for instance, and the only book available to read is a treasure map. Melinda Long's story, narrated with a sense of boastful exaggeration by Jeremy, is full of a sense of high adventure that's lovingly evocative of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tales. David Shannon's illustrations, full of a goofy vibrancy, are a perfect accompaniment to the story. (Ages 4 to 8) --John Moe

[jodyjlittle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A little boy building sand castles at the beach joins a band of pirates who come ashore. On the ship, he immediately loves the life of a pirate, no rules to follow, no manners required, and no yucky vegetables to eat at dinner. But when bedtime rolls around, he learns that pirates don't "tuck in" and they don't read bedtime stories and they certainly don't give good night kisses. After a storm tosses the ship around, the boy offers to help the pirates bury their treasure of gold...right in the boy's backyard.

[kdemott_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a fun boy picture book. I would recommend it for storytime, could be followed up by a pirate craft.

[kapeoples · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second grade reading level. This book is about a young boy who wishes to be a pirate. So he goes around asking people what pirates do, how they act, things they don't do. After learning this the boy decides to act like a pirate all the time even when he shouldn't. A cute funny story with great illustrations.

[anita1west · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How I Became a Pirate is a fun adventure story about a little boy named Jeremy Jacob and his trip to the beach. It started out as a “normal” day at the beach when suddenly the unimaginable happened. Off in the distance he saw a pirate ship and wouldn’t you know it came a shore. The captain, Captain Braid Beard and his crew stopped to ask Jeremy if they landed on the Spanish Main. The captain discovered that Jeremy Jacob was, “A digger and a good one to boot!” Capt. Braid Beard asked Jeremy to join the crew and off he went. Things were going great because pirates have no rules and speaking pirate is fun: pirates eat with their hands, say words like scurvy dog and landlubber and never brush their teeth. Jeremy even made an attempt to teach the crew how to play soccer. For a moment he thought he could be a pirate forever until…he discovered there is, “No Tucking,” bedtime stories or good night kisses on board a pirate ship. Jeremy helped the pirates bury their treasure and then off to soccer practice he went.Who doesn’t like a good pirate story? This was a fun adventure to read with my son. I have not mastered speaking pirate but I am having fun trying. The pictures are great and they really help to tell the story. With the popularity of pirates right now, it was a good addition to our library.As classroom extension ideas I would use this book in the following ways: First, I would have the students write about an adventure of their own; something they would like to experience. I think many boys dream of being pirates, baseball players etc. and would have fun writing about it. Girls also have dreams and they too, I am sure, can find many exciting things that would inspire a great story. Second, it would be fun to create scripts for this story and have the students act it out for Readers Theater. They would have fun talking pirate and making facial expressions like pirates.

[crashingwaves38 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was such a fun book to read! Lots of adventure with pirates, who are always fun to make believe with. In a way, it was also a good story about appreciating what you have.

[the_hag · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A feel good romping adventure for young readers! I found myself unable to contain a smile while reading How I Became a Pirate and neither could my children. They liked it so well that Girl (the older of the two) read it to her brother several more times which always indicate that a book is a BIG hit. The text and illustrations are hilariously complimentary and simply a joy to be able to read. This is the story of one Jeremy Jacob who happens to find himself the chief digger for dread pirate Braid Beard and his scurvy crew. As the story starts we learn that pirates have bad teeth (and they are illustrated perfectly) and sing off key. Having taken a wrong turn at Bora Bora (a la bugs bunny...a very nice "in" joke for the parents), they find themselves no where near the Spanish Main and desperately need a place to bury their treasure. Jeremy is whisked away from this outing at the beach and learns the ins and outs of pirate life. The pro's (disgusting table manners encouraged and enjoyed by all, on board soccer, pillow fights every night, getting to talk like a pirate) and con's (no tucking in bed, no bedtimes story and definitely no good night kiss) lead Jeremy to conclude that perhaps pirate life is NOT for him. Young readers will, no doubt, enjoying reading about how Jeremy makes it back home for his soccer practice and where the pirates ultimately wind up burying their treasure. I give this story five stars...it's just too fun a read not to!! I think that How I Became a Pirate is best suited for 3-7 year olds, but I think it would make a fun read aloud for younger children. The text is certainly simple enough for emerging readers to be able to tackle without too much trouble.