The Old Pirate of Central Park

By Robert Priest

Book Overview

In Robert Priest's wonderfully quirky story, two stubborn souls -- a pirate and a queen -- engage in an epic naval battle in the sailboat pond of New York's Central Park.

Inspired by his seafaring past, an old pirate builds a marvelous replica of his sailing ship, the Laughing Dog. But when he takes his model boat to the pond to launch, he finds the seas are not so friendly -- an imposing yacht owned by a haughty queen has swamped all the lesser vessels. An all-out war erupts between the pirate's Laughing Dog and the queen's S.S. Uppity Duchess. In the ensuing chaos, al fresco diners hide under tables, cooped-up dogs run free, and delighted children scramble to collect pea-size cannonballs.

Who will rule the waves, and what will calm the waters in this offbeat tale of adventure and friendship in New York City?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0988208563
• ISBN13: 9780988208568
• Release Date: April 2024
• Publisher: Tillerman Publishing
• Length: 36 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Quick book, good message

In this book, a "retired pirate" and a "retired queen" engage in a toy boat battle in Central Park, because the Queen refuses to share the pond with the other users (mostly children, of course). Eventually the battle is called for naptime, and the queen shares the waters again. The book is charmingly illustrated, and the city-specific details are well-written. Please note that this edition is oversized, and may be difficult to shelve.

A great story with a good message.

Living in NYC, it was a unique experience to be able to read a book, and then take my son to the place where the action occurs. We pretended to also be pirates, and this made the book a wonderful facillitator for imaginative play. But the book is for more than Manhattanites - I bought it for friends living in the Midwest, and am purchasing it again to send to a friend in Philly. I highly recommend it.