This is Captain Cook is a fun picture book for all those who’ve enjoyed a school play … in all its wonderful splendour!
With a great narrative and fabulous illustrations, Tania McCartney & Christina Booth had me giggling along at the antics of the audience in that front row … and we also happened to learn a lot about Captain Cook too!
The book launches straight to the opening scene as Miss Batt’s class present their class play about the famous explorer …
‘His name was James Cook, and he lived nowhere by the sea.’
With handheld props, a wayward chicken (which prompts quite a discussion in that front row), and an embarrassing stage kiss, both the narrative and illustrations work side by side to guide the reader through James’s journey.
From working in a shop dreaming of ‘grand ships bobbing in the harbour’ to his first role in the Royal Navy, we follow James as he realises his true passion …. sailing.
‘he could never resist the call of the sea.’
His adventures to countries such as ‘the sunshiny islands of Tahiti and Hawaii’, New Zealand, Australia (‘something very special indeed’) and ‘the icy unexplored land of Antarctica’ are accompanied by a wonderful array of stage props. Miss Batt sure does involve everyone in the class!
Both the text and illustrations pay homage to Cook’s map drawing abilities and his passion for the stars and planets.
This is Captain Cook is a seamless blend of humour and history. Each page is filled with little titbits of information as the class present their play – what an inspired way to tell a picture book story!
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