Module 1: Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies

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Book Summary: 

Henry is the son of a pirate ship captain, but he has no interest in the running of a pirate ship. He would rather read about adventures and proper techniques than do other pirating activities, such as making prisoners walk the plank. The other pirates are always making fun of Henry for constantly having his nose in a book, but they just don't understand the appeal of a good book. When a raging storm sinks the pirate ship, the pirates feel that all is lost. Henry doesn’t let a little storm get him down. He quickly gets to work, showing his fellow pirates that all of his time spent reading was not a waste of time, but was time spent gathering valuable information about how to survive when shipwrecked on an island. Soon he is sharing his knowledge and his love for reading with the other pirates, and they all come to understand the value of a good book.

APA Reference of Book:

Crimi, C. (2005). Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Impressions:

As someone who has always read books and always been made fun of for keeping my nose between the pages, it is refreshing to read a book for children about the value of learning from reading. The knowledge Henry learned from the books he read saved the lives of all of the pirates and earned him respect and admiration for his knowledge and skills.

This book provides a great example, albeit a fairly obvious one, of the value of reading. I think it's great to show children that they can get more out a book than entertainment. Many books have small nuggets of information that can be gleaned and put together with other nuggets, and soon a young reader has a whole gold mine of informative facts at their disposal. Teaching them that this is not only possible, but also enjoyable, while they are still at such a young age is a wonderful thing.

I found the illustrations to be enjoyable and thought they were well-done, though there were a few pages that were a little busier than I would have preferred. There was a lot going on, which provides kids with quite a bit to look at, but was overwhelming at times.

Professional Reviews: 

Booklist: PreS-Gr. 2. As the pirate ship The Salty Carrot sails the high seas, all of the rabbit pirates pitch in to help with the duties except Henry, the captain's son, who prefers to read. After their ship succumbs to a storm, the rabbits find that Henry's trunks of books can act as life rafts, which transport them to a desert island. On land, Henry's vast book learning becomes invaluable, and he provides the rabbit crew with food, shelter, and a means of escape. Manders' watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations are the highlight of this effort. His rabbit pirates have huge buckteeth and look especially comical toward the end of the book, when they are elaborately decked out in eighteenth-century finery, including feathered hats and lace trim. Bookworm Henry is rather stereotypically portrayed with huge glasses hung from a string. A story on the joys and usefulness of reading is nothing new, but the funny Buccaneer Bunnies should provide some interest, even to children who are not inspired by the lesson.

School Library Journal: Kindergarten-Grade 2–Henry is not a typical buccaneer bunny. Instead of performing his proper pirating duties, he would rather read the books that he took from other ships. His father, the captain, is not proud of his son and the rest of the crew makes fun of him. When they are shipwrecked on a deserted island, however, it is Henry and his book smarts that save the day. Although the plot is weak, the illustrations are fresh and comical, and send a clear message about the importance of reading.

Morning, T. (2005, December 1). Henry & the Buccaneer bunnies [Review of the book Henry & the Buccaneer bunnies, by C. Crimi]. Booklist, 102(7), 52. Retrieved from http://www.esebco.com/books/show/53366/searches/53366

Schindler, L. S. (2005, November 1). Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies [Review of the book Henry & the Buccaneer bunnies, by C. Crimi]. School Library Journal,  51(11), 89. Retrieved from http://www.esebco.com/books/show/53366/searches/53366

Library Uses: I feel that this book had a few too many words to be a good story time book for younger children (e.i.ages 2-5), but it would be great for class visits, especially for 1^st or 2^nd graders who are still learning the basics of reading.