The USBORNE 411

“See Inside Pirate Ships” is an Usborne Flap Book and one of their 20 pirate-themed books.  Flap books are the ones that have little flaps on each page that you can lift to find out what’s underneath whatever is pictured on the flap.  (Usborne has about 14 other “See Inside” and “See Under” books.)  This book is aimed at kids 7 years old and up; the reason for that, I suppose, is because the smaller kids are more apt to rip the little flaps off.  My 3yo loves this book (which I got for the 7yo), but I have to continually remind her to be kind to it.  Her main problem is turning the pages without closing the flaps she just opened.

The book includes more than 70 flaps (printed on extra heavy paper) and is essentially a large-format board book (measuring 8.75″ x 11.125″).  Being occasionally lazy or often pressed for time, I like that each two-page spread is a separate section, so I can appease the little ones by reading one quick section.

Being a little conflicted about the interest in pirates to start with (they are, after all, really really bad guys), I like the way the book depicts most of them as ending up in watery graves, coming to unfortunate ends, etc.  The books ends with a page on sunken treasure and could potentially spark further interest in the ocean.

“See Inside Pirate Ships” is definitely a good choice for a child interested in pirates and pirate ships and is priced at $12.99.  You can get more info and/or order it by clicking here.

By the time I was formally introduced to Usborne books, I realized that we already had a few.  They’re the ones that are printed on nice, thick paper.  They generally feature non-fiction topics, in a way that is as engaging and entertaining as any fiction book, or movie, or TV program.  They’re the kind of book I’d pick up in the children’s section before I even had children.  They’re always packed full of photos and illustrations, feature lots of color, and really suck the reader (or viewer) into the subject matter.  By “viewer,” I mean that kids enjoy these books whether or not they can read them.  My kids love for me to read Usborne books to them, but they also love to look at the pictures on their own.

I plan to post a review every week or so, and I’ll try to include photos, since a picture is worth a thousand words.  (The reviews will not be that long!)