Shivers!: The Pirate Who’s Back in Bunny Slippers audiobook

Slightly Demented, Antic FunI wasn't entirely sure about this because the whole pretend-pirate thing felt like it could get too precious. I was pleased to see, though, that the authors knew exactly how to take the silliness right up to the edge and then back off and stay on the rails.Shivers is a pirate kid, bunny slippers and all. He is afraid of almost everything, (get it? - "Shivers"), but that doesn't keep him from adventuring. His first mate, actually "fishmate", is a goldfish. His best pal, Margo, is a resourceful, no-nonsense girl who keeps everything on a reasonably level keel, (and who is easily a leading character in her own right). It's never entirely clear how much of what is happening is real and how much is Shivers' overactive imagination. (Does he really live on a landlocked pirate ship on a beach? I think so. Was that cannon fire? No, it was microwave popcorn. Did they just make a raft out of beach balls, surfboards and swimmies? Probably.)MILD GENERAL PLOT SPOILERS. Anyway, Shivers and Margo have to follow rhyming clues to find a treasure, which takes them through a number of increasingly antic set scenes. Then there's a race to the treasure. And a pirate to pirate fight over the treasure, and it all just gets more and more barmy. As you might imagine, the plot itself doesn't make a lot of sense, but this isn't a standard mystery or treasure adventure. It's an excuse for non-stop gags and jokes. Some of the jokes are of the "And don't call be Shirley..." variety. Some are pretty clever and some are downright inspired. Lots of puns and a fair number of sophisticated deadpan throwaway lines. There's also a fair amount of making fun of the genre and some inside jokes for people who read a lot of these sorts of books. Funny exaggeration is shot through the entire narrative. (Someone dives "head first, then body second, then feet third"; I think that's pretty clever for a kid book.) Of course, we have a lot of gross food, some puking, a few unsavory characters, smelly things, slimy things, weird food, and the like. But the book moves along so quickly, the cross-talk is so fast, and the plot is so manic that we never linger over any one joke or bit of business for more than a line or two. And it's all so lively and good-humored that the kid humor never feels forced or calculated.So, this is a book that revels in its clever nutty kid friendliness. And it's all so good-natured and positive, (no false or odd steps in the humor or characters), that the reader is happy to go along for the ride. An interesting and appealing find.(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

My 9 year old son checked this out from the library- he raced through the first book in the series by himself. This one didn't hold his attention as much, but I still thought it was cute. The premise is a pirate who is afraid of everything- my son could BE this pirate, so I like how relatable they are. The chapters all build together nicely. My son didn't realize it, but the author is part of the Story Pirates team, and we love them! We were excited to read it for family storytime.

Shivers, the pirate who's afraid of everything, has completed his very first adventure returns, but finds himself in trouble with the mayor. She has confiscated his ship The Land Lady, and given him until the end of the day to return the Treasure Torch which she is sure he has stolen. So, Shivers and his best friend Margo, must solve a riddle that will lead them to the elusive treasure that every pirate covets, but can't find.

awesome sequel. More laugh-out-loud humor, more shenanigans, love Shivers the Pirate so much!