Thursday, February 22, 2018

#BookReview - Tabitha Fink and the Patchwork Pirates @rfelty

Tabitha Fink and the Patchwork Pirates 

By: Rick Felty
Publisher: Dreamschooner Press
Publication Date: December 2017
ISBN: 978-0989912860
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: February 2018 

Climb aboard a pirate ship, mateys, and get ready for a fun adventure with a very famous cat - Tabitha Fink!

On her latest adventure, Tabitha Fink, the one-eyed cat, is about to set sail to search for buried treasure. She has a ship, with a flag she made, and a beautiful patchwork sail too. The best part is that her good friend, Bartholomew the mouse, will be her first mate. The pair look quite smart in their pirate outfits and they're ready to sail...almost. They have the clothes, they have a ship and a map to the buried treasure, but they need a crew! What will they do?

The pirates soon have a plan - they post a sign to find their crew:

Pirates Ahoy!!
Want three happy pirates,
two girls and a boy.
No experience needed.
We'll show you the ropes.
Please share in our journey,
our dreams and our hopes.

Tabitha is thrilled when three would-be pirates apply and she quickly welcomes them to the crew. But Bartholomew is perplexed, as he is sure the three new pirates don't have what it takes for the long journey. The first is a cook who likes to make cakes, the second is a tuba player, and the final new mate is a cowgirl. How will they ever find the buried treasure with such an inexperienced crew?

"For the very last time,
this does not seem good."
cried Bartholomew Blink
feeling misunderstood.
"She cannot say Arrr!!
this is something to note.
Without any pirates, we won't stay afloat!"

But Tabitha Fink is certain her new crew, with their very different talents, are just what they need:

"This cowgirl seems clever and talented too," said wise Tabitha Fink, "look at all she can do!" The ship is soon underway and while Tabitha Fink and the three new pirates are all set for adventure, Bartholomew is convinced they are sailing into trouble. When they meet up with a huge whale who tries to sink the ship, the little mouse is sure they're about to sink...

This is the first book in the popular "Tabitha Fink" series that I have read and I was immediately drawn into the adorable story. Tabitha Fink and her best buddy Bartholomew are the perfect pair and the pirate adventure on the high seas is one every young reader will love. The illustrations add a fun aspect to the tale as they're playful, colorful and the facial expressions of the pirates tells the story perfectly. When Bartholomew has reservations about the new crew, children will see, and learn, just how wonderful it is when we all come together to share our different talents. Bartholomew learns an important lesson that is easily shared with young readers, for like the "Patchwork Pirates" who all have diverse backgrounds, we can come together to work through the hardest of problems. Finally, the author has chosen to tell the story in simple rhyme which flows very naturally and moves the story right along to a very satisfying conclusion. Now I think it's time I go back and check out the other Tabitha Fink stories!

Quill says: Tabitha Fink and the Patchwork Pirates is a very fun story that teaches children that by combining our different talents, we can work together to do great things.

 For more information on Tabitha Fink and the Patchwork Pirates, please visit Tabitha's page at www.tabithafink.com

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