Tuesday, September 30, 2014

No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou by Rhonda Gowler Greene (Illustrated by Brian Ajhar)

No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou was written by Rhonda Gowler Greene and illustrated by Brian Ajhar. Pirate Pete storms into the Seabreezy Library looking for treasure, but Library Lou has a plan. Pirate Pete learns the importance of reading and books in this funny, whimsical book.


   Rhonda Gowler Greene has created a fun book with a very important lesson. Pirate Pete eventually learns that "books be the treasure". Greene has shown the importance of books on the imagination as well as we see some of the books that Pirate Pete picks up to read.

   This is a fun book of fiction. While it is not quite fantasy, it isn't quite contemporary either. It falls somewhere in between. Could it happen? No. But is it fantasy? Not really.

   Brian Ajhar has created fantastic paintings to illustrate No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou. The paintings perfectly illustrate and enhance what is happening on each page of the book.


For Teachers: 

   No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou is ideal for kindergarten through first, however it can be pushed into a second grade classroom. This book opens up a perfect opportunity for students to visit the school or a local library. Some classroom activities could include: 
  • Alphabet: No Pirates Allowed! creates a perfect opportunity to build on student's alphabet skills and recognition. Some activities could include word-to-letter matching and more. 
  • Dewey Decimal System: Explain what the system is and how librarians use it. Have students explore different call numbers and where things are located. **This would be a perfect time to visit the school or local library. 
  • Discussion Questions: What is a library, and why are they important? What is happening to Pete as he reads more and more? Does Pirate Pete feel grateful to Library Lou for what she has done? What has Library Lou done? 

My Thoughts: 

   I really loved this book. Unfortunately, it is a little old for my son right now, but I will be checking it out again when he is a little older. It mixes pirates (which my son loves) with the importance of reading (which is a big thing for me). I can't wait to see what he thinks of it when he is older. 

Additional Resources: 

Book trailer: 


Reference: 
Greene, R. G. (2013). No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press. 

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