Polly and the Pirates Vol. 1

I've read this out loud twice to my 9 year old boy and we have loved it each time. With great economy of words and illustrations, Naifeh brings the situation, the characters, and the story to life. No spoilers here. But if you like storytelling, you'll love Polly and the Pirates.

I was intrigued when I stumbled on this comic, but on a lark I bought it and was blown away. Polly came together quickly the moment she stopped resisting her nature and the adventure is as well crafted as the writing. I truly hope the next installment of this series comes soon and the project the author is working on now proves just as impressive.

I was a fan of the dark Gothic atmosphere of courtney C. and was a bit leery of a pirate story so I waited a long time to read this, but it is by far my favorite of Ted's books. The pacing is perfect. There is a stead build up to the plot that is logical and satisfying without being predictable. Its a hard leap from prissy girl to tough as nails pirate queen, but it's managed nicely. The best part is that there is no over the top villain...in this cloak and dagger world everyone has a little pirate in them and that makes it fun.

Polly and the Pirates is a wonderful read - the characters are engaging, the action is smooth, and you end this volume with the sneaking suspicion that all following volumes will be even more captivating. I appreciated the fact that the female characters weren't cookie-cutter or simple. It is becoming more and more difficult to find positive role models for young girls. I would have no problem giving this book to me niece. I hope you give it a try and allow the story to sweep you away.

Polly is a young lady attending a finishing school. She is attentive and well-behaved, unlike some of her class mates. She balks at the idea of sneaking out and having adventures. But that all changes one strange night. Polly wakes one night to find herself, and her bed, being carried away by pirates. One of them claims she is the daughter of their previous captains, the infamous Pirate Queen. Polly wants nothing to do with this and is afraid of getting in trouble at the school. But that is not to be as she is soon involved with the pirates once again as well as rivals, the Emperor, the navy, and lost treasure maps. Much of the fun here is in wondering if Polly really is the daughter of the Pirate Queen. The whimsical art style helps add to the fun. This is a rollickingly fun adventure and we can only hope we will see more of Polly and the pirates. Check it out.