Pirate Stew

Written by Neil Gaiman

Narrated by Neil Gaiman

Meet LONG JOHN McRON, SHIP'S COOK . . . and the most unusual babysitter you've ever seen.

Long John has a whole crew of wild pirates in tow, and—for one boy and his sister—he's about to transform a perfectly ordinary evening into a riotous adventure beneath a pirate moon. It's time to make some PIRATE STEW.

Marvelously silly and gloriously entertaining, this tale of pirates, flying ships, doughnut feasts and some rather magical stew is perfect for all pirates, both young and old.

With a deliciously rhyming text from master storyteller Neil Gaiman and a spellbinding cover illustration by the supremely talented Chris Riddell, this is the picture book of the year! 

Pirate Stew! Pirate Stew!
Pirate Stew for me and you!
Pirate Stew, Pirate Stew
Eat it and you won’t be blue
You can be a pirate too!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9780063028258

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is the celebrated author of books, graphic novels, short stories, films, and television for readers of all ages. Some of his most notable titles include the highly lauded #1 New York Times bestseller Norse Mythology; the groundbreaking and award-winning Sandman comic series; The Graveyard Book (the first book ever to win both the Newbery and Carnegie Medals); American Gods, winner of many awards and recently adapted into the Emmy-nominated Starz TV series (the second season slated to air in 2019); The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was the UK’s National Book Award 2013 Book of the Year. Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett a very long time ago (but not quite as long ago as Don’t Panic) and for which Gaiman wrote the screenplay, will air on Amazon and the BBC in 2019. Author photo by Beowulf Sheehan

Reviews for Pirate Stew

[linyarai · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a really enjoyable story. I liked the bold artwork and the whimsical tale, it covered a lot of very diverse pirates. The story was pretty simple and easy to follow, and the rhymes were fun.

[March Delgado · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had such a great time reading it with a little one that we went through it several times; first, I read it to him, then we discussed the eye-catching illustrations while we read it together again, and then he "told" it back to me in his own way with his limited language. But above all, I enjoyed watching him make faces at the things that were put into the soup. It has Gaiman's stamp, which means guaranteed quality. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun book for a child who hasn't started reading or is just beginning. (Translated from Spanish)

[vidmante · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What arrrrtistic sounds of treasure, such a pirrrates golden pleasure!

[lucky2loki · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

COOK IT IN A TREASURE CHEST!

[villemezbrown · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think the rhyme scheme of this book was mostly a scheme to trip me up as I tried to read it aloud, but it was fun nonetheless with its predictable but satisfying ending. The pictures really carry the day.

[quondame · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fun, silly, bright.

[CarlomanTampico · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It tells us the story of a couple who leave their children with a pirate acting as a babysitter, and it shows us the challenges that arise in this scenario.

Highly recommended and fun story by the great writer Neil Gaiman, aimed at children but will also delight adults. (Translated from Spanish)

[brenda_nix_lively · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such fun, gorgeously illustrated.

[mickyfine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When their Mom and Dad go out on a date, a brother and sister end up with Long John McRon, Ship's Cook, as their babysitter. When Long John has a bunch of his pirate friends over to make Pirate Stew, there's no telling what will happen.

I picked up this picture book because of Neil Gaiman, of course, and while the story is very cute I didn't love it as much as anticipated because the rhyme scheme isn't consistent. Lots of ABAB rhyming and then one sentence that would suddenly not rhyme at all. However, the illustrations by Chris Riddell are gorgeous and I love that our children protagonists are bi-racial. For kiddos that love pirates, this will be a fun read but if you're the grown up reading it to a little be prepared for it to be a little uneven as a reading experience.