Note: I received an F&G of this book from the publisher at ALA Annual 2019. ( )

Swash buckling tale that proves “The pen is mightier than the sword.” And words are precious things. Children will enjoy Steven Kellogg’s fantastic illustrations that bring this story to life. ( )

Children's literature giants Susan Cooper and Steven Kellogg join forces for the first time in this new picture-book, which they created as a tribute to celebrated New Zealand children's author Margaret Mahy. The story follows pirate Captain Rottingbones and his crew as they pilfer words from stories all over the world, feasting on the misbegotten vocabulary. But when the captain hears of a word wizard living on an island far to the south, and he and his crew attempt to steal her words, they find they've met their match...

The Word Pirates is a fairly entertaining picture-book, with an engaging story and humorous artwork. I don't know that it quite lived up to my expectations, with regard to Susan Cooper's own storytelling - somehow the tale felt a little too pat in its resolution, a little too pointed with its "the pen is mightier than the sword" message. Perhaps my perspective is off here, given that I just read Cooper's poem, The Shortest Day, which is a small masterpiece, without a word out of place. However that may be, I was nevertheless simply tickled to see that this was a tribute to Margaret Mahy, whose work I love. I particularly enjoyed the references to Mahy's picture-book, The Boy Who Was Followed Home, which was also illustrated by Kellogg. Recommended to fans of Cooper, Kellogg and Mahy. ( )