September 1, 1994
K-Gr 1-Despite the prowling pirates that threaten the safety of Busytown Bay, Uncle Willy sails off, finds an island, and decides to take a nap before eating his pie. Soon, he is awakened by pirates and tossed overboard. After swimming to shore, he constructs a fake crocodile from plants and objects found on the island, crawls inside, and cleverly captures the villains. This adaptation of "Uncle Willy and the Pirates" from The Funniest Storybook Ever (Random, 1972) includes many of Scarry's well-known cat and mice characters. The bold-colored illustrations and a large typeface will contribute to the book's success with beginning readers.-Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA