When Mum and Dad go out for the night, the children are surprised to find their new babysitter is a pirate, who then invites all his pirate friends to help him make dinner. Unimpressed by the contents of the fridge, they set
about making pirate stew.
Great illustrations in vibrant colour, a rhythmic text with a variety of rhyme patterns and a fast paced story full of humour, this is sure to be requested time and again as a read aloud story. I loved it.

When mum and dad go out for the night, and pirates come to babysit there's sure to be an adventure! This was a fun story told in rhyme about Mr McRon and his pirate crew coming to spend the evening with 2 young children. Tasked with cooking up a feast, they initially argue about the best thing to make and finally opt for pirate stew, throwing in all manner of pirate paraphernalia. As the children ate the stew, they themselves become pirates and the adventure really begins.

Told in rhyme with stunning illustrations by Chris Riddell this story is bound to thrill young readers With a repeated refrain there are opportunities for them to join in telling the story and lots to talk about in the pictures.

As a huge fan of rhyming tales, I found some of the lines difficult to catch the rhythm of, but this didn't take away from the brilliant adventure, and I'm sure a few more reads and I'd pick it up quickly!

I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Gaiman’s talent extends to picture books. Silly piratical babysitter adventures.

Like the Cat in the Hat, these children find themselves in the presence of an unexpected ‘minder’ when their parents go out. But here, their blessing has been given for the pair to be looked after by... a pirate!

Soon a whole crew has descended, and food must be found, and adventures ensue of course. Involving ships, doughnuts and two children loving their unusual babysitters.

Riddell adds his detailed talent to the imaginative scenes with a whole host of individual characters and lovely touches (the girl’s clutched rabbit, a rabble of young and old pirates of many heritages), and brings his collaborator’s words to life. And Gaiman proves a dab hand with the rhymes, they feel natural and flow well. And there’s a catchy refrain on top.

Older fans will enjoy this slight adventure and it will introduce little ones to an illustrator they’ll hopefully come across in a few years time, and an author who’s versatile enough to cross another age boundary.

Lots of imaginative fun, and it’s lovely that the parents are included in the action!

For ages 3 to infinite.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

What an absolutely marvellous picture book!! Such a fun story, brilliantly told and with beautiful illustrations. As close to perfection as they come!

Neil Gaiman has written some of my very favourite books – both adult titles and books for children. What I have loved about Gaiman is the strange, otherworldliness to his always distinct style of writing. However, that is not what we have here.

If you have experience Neil Gaiman's children's books, this is a different kettle of fish... Pirate Stew feels really very ordinary and un-Gaiman-like. That is not to say that it is not a good children’s book (indeed, the two children I read it to really seemed to enjoy it – we have read it three times now). But in feel, there are a dozen ‘picture book’ authors who could have written this. The artwork by Chris Riddell is of course wonderful and with so much going on in each page, this is where the magic comes from.

So, all in all, maybe this isn’t such a bad thing – Gaiman is often so idiosyncratic (or just plain weird!) that although I love his kids’ books, it is possible children may not. There is little doubt however, Pirate Stew they will enjoy!

A new favourite from my absolute favourite collaboration - magically gorgeous illustrations paired with a brilliant and funny story. Perfection!

This is an absolute must for any pirate fans and is bound to engage any non-pirate fans. This bold, bonkers story has a classic, old-fashioned feel and an air of delicious nonsense about it. Anyone who has read Gaiman's 'Fortunately, the milk' will know they are in for a highly unusually but brilliantly entertaining tale.
For me, the beginning had echoes of Peter Pan, with the children being left with a babysitter and swept off on an adventure. Some smaller children might be intimidated by the larger-than-life illustrated characters but the text bounces along in such a fun way that this should alleviate any fears. This has all the ingredients that one expects in a pirate story - just don't eat the stew! Unfortunately, the parents do and this makes for a great twist at the end.
The pirate language is rich and challenging, but the refrain is simple and catchy. Every page is full to bursting and fully immersive. I like how the children are more passive observers in the first half of the story but , by not eating the stew, claw back some agency.
This is a feast for the imagination and a feast of excellently crafted language. The plot is simple but humorous and everyone inside and outside the book should have a riotous time.
Just don't eat the stew!

This book was great fun to read - I can't wait to read it aloud to my year 2 class. The children will love the idea of pirate babysitters and spotting all of the pirate related vocabulary. The full page illustrations are gorgeous and the bouncy rhyme make it pacy and fun.

A fabulously fun collaboration from Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell, Pirate Stew will delight piratical picture book lovers of all ages!

As mum and dad head out for a well-deserved night out the children are left with a set of unlikely babysitters in the form of a pirate cook and his crew. The story took me back to the joyous fun of Fortunately, the Milk (also by Gaiman and Riddell) and the feeling that absolutely anything can and will happen.

A perfect read-aloud story for fans of rhyming stories such as the Oi Frog and Friends series by Kes Gray and Jim Field.

What a great picture book in verse! The illustrations are ebullient and detailed, and I love the mixed race family at the heart of the story. A classic tale of a strange baby sitter who takes the children on an adventure, reminiscent of the cat in the hat or the tiger who came to tea, mum and dad are off or for the night and a pirate cook is left in charge! Of course he brings in his crew of buccaneers, and they end up with the house turning into a ship, and eventually mum and dad becoming pirates too. It's great to have a new option to read for this popular school topic, which could be enjoyed all the way through school, from year one to year six. There's some great pirate vocabulary and puns that older children will spot, and the whole thing is written in Gaiman's inimitable verse style. It takes a bit of practice before reading aloud as the rhyme scheme is a bit unpredictable, but fun!

An absolutely hilarious and brilliant book from Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell! The story flows brilliantly and there's so much to spot in all the illustrations giving the book great re-readability. I cannot wait to be able to recommend Pirate Stew to customers!

Gaiman and Riddell must really have fun collaborating because there is always a certain element of joy that emulates from their books which can only be achieved when the creators are friends as well as colleagues. The story in Pirate Stew is fun, barmy and Riddell’s artwork brims with details which will delight little readers. A must for pirate enthusiasts!

This is a great, funny book by the brilliant Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell.
Mum and dad are going out for the evening so Long John McRon arrives to babysit for the night, shortly followed by a pirate crew
This is a great fun story with some great pirate vocabulary and rhyming throughout. The brilliant illustrations help bring the story to life.
Highly recommended. Thanks to netgalley for the preview of this one.

Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell have joined forces again to create a rhyming picture book full of pirates.

When Mum and Dad go out for the evening, Long John McRon comes round to babysit. He brings along his pirate friends. cooks up pirate stew and turns the house into a ship.

The story bounces along with infectious rhyme and the illustrations bring all of the pirates to life.

A joy!

Thanks to Net Galley and Bloomsbury for this advance copy.

I really liked this book, it was well written (as you would expect) and it had some wonderful images that really did bring the book to life! I can see this one being a big hit and will be on an awful lot of Christmas lists this year! A fun read and I loved the rhymes! It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended

Fans of Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell are going to love this. Funny and magical and bound to be a great story before bedtime.

I've been a massive Neil Gaiman fan for years and I am constantly recommending his middle grade books to the young children who come in and out of my library and I'm so excited to soon have a new one to recommend to them. I just think his books are perfect for everyone, some of the parents of the children at my library get more excited for Neil Gaiman than there children do.

This book was no exception when it comes to any of the above. I adore any kind of pirate book and am constantly on the lookout for more to read, especially middle grade pirate novels because I just find them to be so fun.

I think that Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell are such a good duo and I have to say that the illustrations in this were wondeful which is just what you expect from Chris. I love that he includes a diverse cast of characters, it's so lovely that all of the children who read this book will be able to see themselves represented in some way which is very important to me.

I can't wait to purchase a physical copy of this for my library.

Two children have a new babysitter when their parents go out for the night. But it is no ordinary babysitter it is a pirate. What will happen join the children on an adventure of a lifetime – but will they try the pirate stew?
I enjoyed being taken on a madcap journey with the pirates and I liked the fact that the children were questioning what was going on but took it all in good fun.
The illustrations from Chris Riddell were good and I loved the little details he put in with each pirate having a different costume that fitted their ethnicity.

A clever rhyming book, illustrated in Chris Riddell's signature style. Gaiman and Riddell are a dream pairing, who have succeeded this time in creating a quirky and energetic story.

With a beginning reminiscent of Cat in the Hat, there are surprises in store for the children left with an unusual babysitter for the evening. Adventure awaits the newest pirate recruits.

This would appeal to young fans of rhyming books, as well as those who love Gaiman's/ Riddell's work.

Young and old will be drawn into this lyrical and piratical adventure.
Mum and Dad are off out and a babysitter has arrived to care for the siblings, but not just any babysitter- a pirate! Once the parents are gone, things get busy with plenty of pirates filling the house and helping to make dinner- pirate stew!
Odd things get thrown in and the children are wary of eating such a meal! And for good reason as there are consequences to eating Pirate Stew! A hilarious and colourful, engaging and fun book that the whole family will enjoy!
Gaiman’s literary prowess and Riddell’s genius illustrations come together again in a brilliantly book, which is guaranteed to fly off bookshelves and library shelves around the world.