What do you think of when you hear the word “pirate”? Chances are you’re picturing an intimidating man in a tricorn hat with a parrot on one shoulder. Maybe he’s stealing your treasures, or maybe he’s even ordering you to walk the plank. Either way, it’s a frightening sight.
That’s exactly what Jules Fitzgerald had in mind when she wrote The Tiniest Amazon Pirate. This spunky children’s book takes the age-old image of fearsome pirates and turns it on its head. By challenging the idea of what a pirate can be, Fitzgerald encourages young readers to use their imaginations, while also instilling morals into the story.
SWASHBUCKLERS WITH HEART
In this most recent installation of The Tiniest Amazon series, Daisy Rose is back and looking for an ocean adventure! She recruits her friend Naomi to be the ship’s bosun, Justin to be the cook and Muttnik to be her loyal four-legged first mate. While on the high seas, Daisy Rose’s crew spots a friendly face on a nearby ship. It’s their friend Pirate Pete, known as a kindhearted soul who cares for all animals. Unlike other pirates sailing the ocean blue, Pete doesn’t steal and pillage. Instead, he hunts down evil pirates and defeats them in combat, making the ocean safer one ship at a time. Inspired by Pirate Pete’s actions, Daisy Rose and her friends become the “anti-pirate pirates” and decide for follow in his footsteps.
An opportunity soon arises when they see a boat stranded on a reef. A fellow ship is in trouble, so Daisy Rose and her friends launch into action; they rescue the marooned sailors and give them a ride to Pirate Pete, who’s been looking for some more crew members. In the meantime, Daisy Rose takes these sailors onto her own ship, and with some home-cooked meals by Justin and their clothes mended by Naomi, the sailors are looking as good as new!
Just like that, Daisy Rose and her crew have done what they set out to do — to leave the ocean in a better place than when they found it and share their kindness across the high seas.
SILLINESS WITH SUBSTANCE
Author Jules Fitzgerald and illustrator B.G. Murphy know their audience. From fun rhymes to colorful illustrations, every aspect of the book is considered with young readers in mind. But the silly antics of these characters disguise the true meaning of these books: to help children learn the importance of kindness and generosity. By learning from Pirate Pete, Daisy Rose and her crew can help pass on that lesson to fans.
The Tiniest Amazon series is centered around helping children learn not only moral lessons but reading comprehension as well. The creators made sure they used a serif font so each letter could be read clearly, and that there are no word contractions throughout the text. Perfect for readers from age 3 to 8, The Tiniest Amazon instills lessons without taking away from the great fun of the story.
Inclusivity is also an important factor for The Tiniest Amazon series. The book is available with Daisy Rose as the main character using she/her pronouns, as well as versions using he/him and they/them. That way, every child can read a story and share an identity with the main character on this whimsical pirate adventure.
Jules Fitzgerald and B.G. Murphy have dedicated their book to “everyone who has used a wrapping paper tube or a stick as a pirate sword.” The Tiniest Amazon Pirate is made with every child in mind — celebrating their silliness and helping set them up for success with invaluable life lessons.
For more information about The Tiniest Amazon series, check out their website here.
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