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Jonny Duddle
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The Pirate Cruncher Hardcover – April 13, 2010

by Jonny Duddle (Author, Illustrator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 103 ratings
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A hilarious picture book debut has a scurvy crew setting off for an island of gold, where an unexpected development awaits under the final flap.

I was sailing along and what did I see?
An island of GOLD in the scurvy sea!
But there’s one small thing I forgot to share —
there’s also a MONSTER waiting there.

A mysterious old pirate tells a tavern of salty seadogs about an island bursting with hidden treasure. But once they set sail, he also mentions that it is guarded by the terrible Pirate Cruncher. When the pirates’ greed gets the better of their fear, there’s a big surprise in store!
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  1. Reading age
    4 - 7 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    38 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 2
  5. Dimensions
    10 x 0.41 x 11.69 inches
  6. Publisher
    Templar
  7. Publication date
    April 13, 2010
  8. ISBN-10
    0763648760
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0763648763
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3—The dastardly Captain Purplebeard and his greedy crew are on the track of "…a shipload of treasure!...Diamonds and rubies and gold beyond measure…." They set sail in their ship, The Black Hole, following a mysterious fiddle player (are those strings on his arms and legs?) who has a treasure map. Heedless of the subsequent verses of the fiddler's song, which warn of some sort of monster "pirate cruncher," the motley crew also disregards certain other strange happenings and perseveres to their ultimate end. Their fate is told mostly in rollicking but sometimes uneven rhymed text. The striking illustrations in bold colors are digitally rendered with great effect, delineating each individual pirate and slyly hinting at the surprise that's coming—visual clues that every self-respecting pirate lover will delight in pointing out knowledgeably after the first reading. An amusing book to savor and enjoy.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

Just when you think there couldn't possibly be space on the shelf for another pirate-related picture book, another comes around that reminds you pirates may well just be one of those inexhaustible mines. A loony old fiddler enchants a pirate crew with a tale of unimaginable treasure on an island far out to sea. The good ship Black Hole sets out with the fiddler aboard, whetting the crew's insatiable appetite for booty, then inflating their fears with warnings of a monster who “likes to eat pirates who come for the treasure, / and chews up their ships just for good measure.” Captain Purplebeard won't have any of it, and even if kids see the truth lurking beneath a final gatefold, it doesn't make the pirate-gobbling monster's splash appearance any less squeal worthy. Duddle's digital artwork has the cartoony physicality of high-tech animated art without the off-putting CGI sheen one might expect. The goony, googly-eyed buccaneers heaped onto each page and the chantey cadences of the text make this a certain winner for jaunty read-alouds. Preschool-Grade 2. --Ian Chipman

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Templar; 1st edition (April 13, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 38 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0763648760
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763648763
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7 years, from customers
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 2
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.27 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10 x 0.41 x 11.69 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 103 ratings

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Jonny Duddle

Jonny Duddle

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
103 global ratings
Disappointed, used, but not acceptable
1 Star
Disappointed, used, but not acceptable
Book is written and pages torn badly. Not “user acceptable” as described.
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Top reviews from the United States

S. S.
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic pirate tale!
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book was a hit with us and our 7 year old autistic son! He loves it!!! He is a collector of pirate stories. He loves a good pirate story that includes lots of laughs along with scary adventure. The pirate dialog is so authentic and very fun to read!! The story is awesome, it has a good lesson, the colors and drawing are fantastic. The paper and binding a good quality. Very cute characters. If your child is easily scared the story may be too much, (a great big kraken involved ) but for our pirate fantasy fan, it was just the excitement level he appreciates. He smiles his way through the story every night. It is one of the best pirate books in his collection. The one drawback is that some of the print placed on dark background is a little hard to see in poor light, so just turn those lights up.
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Michelle Lefferts
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging for all ages - even the reader!
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
I've lost track of how many times I've read "The Pirate Cruncher" for my twin 4.25-year-old sons in the few days since I purchased it. I love it because it's interesting to read aloud: there's a mix of reading text and singing verse, plus some of the pirate crew's thoughts are portrayed in illustrations so your pre-literate children can help "read" the book aloud too. My kids LOVE LOVE LOVE the story, and the illustrated clues on each page about the story's mystery. I can't recommend this book highly enough for 4+-year-olds. I too am surprised, like another reviewer, that it did not get a Caldecott award. We own several Caldecott award-winning books and while I see the difference in the sophistication of illustration between "Pirate Cruncher" and, say, "A Sick Day for Amos McGee", these illustrations engage my pre-literate kids on many levels and get them to help me tell the story aloud. Several months ago, I was becoming inclined to try longer, chapter books with my boys but then I read that experts say that parents are abandoning picture books too early for their pre-schoolers. This book is an outstanding example of how pictures can promote a real dialog between the adult reader and his/her audience. Such fun!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Summer camp kids loved this one the very best!
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
I read this book for my summer camp (30 kids ages 5-8) on a day we did an underwater monster theme. Out of the ten books I did during camp, this was the one they liked the best and kept talking about. I introduced with a quick discussion of the Midas Touch and the dangers of greed, so the kids would know the story didn't end all rosy! I originally DID NOT want to read a book where everyone gets eaten, but it fit our theme so well and I'm glad we chose it, because it kept the kids captivated and it was one none of them had heard before.
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Alli
5.0 out of 5 stars Clever, typical Pirate story with a great ending
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
Cute story about greedy pirates following a singing pirate to find treasure... of course they are bold and brave to begin with until the singing pirate tells them that this isn't a safe journey and the island disappears. Spoiler... the island is actually an ocean beast who eats them up and burps out the singing pirate.... who is a marionette. Clever, unexpected ending that had us roaring. We loved looking back at the pictures as we didn't even notice he was a marionette!
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Brian
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2019
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My kids have asked for this book over and over and over. The illustrations are well done with so much hidden. Every time we have read it we discover more. Fun rhymes and a little bit of singing. My kids are 2 and 4, but even I enjoy this book.
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H. Norrod
5.0 out of 5 stars nice illustrations
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2018
Verified Purchase
This was a big hit with my five year old. We got it as a present for someone else, but after we read it he requested that we buy it for our house. The pictures are very evocative. I did not find the story to be that compelling but my son did. This would be a great choice for a pirate loving kid.
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kathy
5.0 out of 5 stars Crazy fun book!
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2014
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I bought this book for 4 year old grandson. I was worried it had a little TOO much crunching but it was a huge hit! There are a lot of funny words, super good illustrations, a big fold-out page that is a hit and and a kind of 'I spy' aspect. It has a lot going on so lends itself to many, many readings!! Not a fast bedtime read. You will be looking at the illustrations over and over..and over again!
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Music Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars YES! Love this book!
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2017
Verified Purchase
Jonny Duddle pirate books are the best! This one is a bit darker than his other picture book, "The Pirate's Next Door" but it's so much fun! We (me and the 5-year-old pirate lover) really enjoyed this the first time though and LOVED it the second the third... seeing new details!
Stunning art, great writing, fun to share!
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Top reviews from other countries

Chris Saba
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice book
Reviewed in Canada on May 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
Very nice. Good condition. Product arrived ahead of schedule.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging
Reviewed in Canada on June 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book has become a nightly staple, beautiful illustrations and a cute story line that pleases adults and children alike. Recommend!
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Linda MacDonald
5.0 out of 5 stars The drawings are so much fun
Reviewed in Canada on June 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
My grand daughters love all the boks by this author. They especially love the drawings.
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Celeste LeBlanc
5.0 out of 5 stars Arrrr Mighty Impressed
Reviewed in Canada on January 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Love the story, the art work and layout are awesome and a nice break from the monotony of most children's books
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Happy Man
5.0 out of 5 stars Best kids book out there
Reviewed in Canada on December 8, 2015
Verified Purchase
My son loves this book and has memorized the entire thing. The illustrations were the inspiration for the mural we did in his room as well. Probably the best book we have found for him.
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