The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle

This book is brilliantly illustrated and a unique narrative about a girl who wishes for a family with children to live next door to her so she has someone to play with. Her dreams come true when a pirate family; The Jolley-Rogers move next door for a while.
There's amazing puns throughout the book. The town name, 'Dull-on-sea' contradicts the future of the story where things are not dull at all.
There is also some a slight rhyming pattern throughout the book, it seems that the end words of the middle and last line rhyme, it just nicely ties the book together I felt.
The structure of the book is set out on some pages similar to a comic strip where not only do the readers have to read across the page from left to right, they also have to read top to bottom before moving to the next speech bubble.
The use many pirate/sea related terms which emphasise the story line such as; 'urchin', 'yonder', 'landsick', 'anchoring' and 'scurvy', just to name a few.
The books complication is the community's disgust and misery knowing that there are filthy pirates in their neighbourhood. The climax is when the community start a petition. Then the pirates just go on their way, back to the ocean, leaving each family a treasure proving that they are not bad people after all. The coda of the book is generally to not be stereotypical of people, especially people who are new to the community.
The illustrations are really a stand out point in the book and are really detailed and animated, making for a very enjoyable read.

 

The book is aimed generally at the years 4-7 range and focuses on basic literary techniques for that year range capabilities.

Jonny Duddle's blog contains information about the rest of the series and his beautiful illustrations.


By Emma Windebank