©2006 Kyle M. Stone
Client: Harcourt
Medium: Acrylic & Mixed Media on Paper
Size: various sizes
Use: Children Book

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2—In well-fashioned rhyming text, a little boy takes readers through a day onboard his father's ship, listing all of the reasons he loves his pirate-captain dad: "I love my pirate papa!/He's the bravest buccaneer./He helps me put my earring on/and buckles up my gear." After a day full of adventures together, the man tucks his son into his bunk, reads him a book about Captain Hook, and kisses him goodnight saying: "I spent my life a-plundering./My treasures bring me joy./But there's nothing I prize more than you,/my dearest pirate boy." Bright, jewel-toned acrylic and mixed-media cartoon illustrations add to the fun, drawing children into the main elements of a pirate's life—ferocious crew, skull-and-crossbones flag, desert island, etc.—but also offering interesting humorous details sprinkled throughout the pages, such as the skinny mice in almost every scene who participate in the action. The father sports an eye patch, tricorne, and unbelievably long mustache, all authentic but somehow managing not to look too scary. Both front and back endpapers display a pirate treasure map. Given the fascination children have for the topic and the relative scarcity of easy pirate books, this tale will surely be met with delight by the youngest buccaneers.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
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Kirkus Reviews
Picture-book pirates are in plentiful supply, but it's still likely that plenty of landlubbers will enjoy listening to this loving description of a buccaneer dad. The narrator looks a bit like David Shannon's David, with beady black eyes, a round belly and angular limbs. In rollicking rhyme, he enumerates the joys of living aboard ship. His father, the pirate captain, helps him to get dressed, teaches him to read (from a treasure map, naturally), allows him to help recover the buried treasure and tucks him tenderly into bed at night. Stone's dark-toned illustrations, created in acrylic and mixed-media, feature exaggerated details to humorous effect (the father's shoulder-wide moustache is a particular favorite). A small mouse appears in several pictures, giving young listeners another reason to scan them carefully. Whether listeners will choose to spend more than one day in the company of this particular crew or quickly move on to a different adventure is open to argument. In the short run, however, this should definitely please book-thirsty young treasure seekers. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pied Piper Pics
Kyle M. Stone’s big, colorful, double page illustrations make this a great story time choice for any size group. I will definitely be read this book at one of my story times very soon!
May 21, 2010 by The Pied Piper

Reviews Kids
Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch
This sweet rhyming picture book is a love song from the son of a pirate to his papa. He may be a fierce pirate to the rest of the world, but he is a loving papa to his son. The little boy narrates all of his daily interactions with his papa...
The illustrations are amusingly exaggerated, with Papa Pirate's face, hat and mustache exceedingly elongated. In one particularly funny picture, the boy is about to stir an octopus stew with the help of the octopus (or is it a squid?) who is pouring salt on himself with one tentacle while holding a spoon and a frying pan in others.

Children's Book Browser
A rip-roaring picture book that imagines life as the son of a pirate, I Love My Pirate Papa (story by Laura Leuck; pictures by Kyle M. Stone) is a bold and colorful rhyming book that will delight pre-schoolers and kindergarteners. It’s full of “land ho’s” and “avasts”, treasure maps
and jolly rogers.  The meter and rhyme are flawless, which makes the book a pleasure to read aloud. But, what I love most about this book is the way it portrays a loving relationship between a father and a son in a way that’s sure to capture and hold any young boy’s attention. December 20, 2010

L. Burniac (New York, NY)
A Treasure of a Book, March 2, 2008
I recently purchased I Love My Pirate Papa - and I must say I truly adore this book. I work in Children's publishing and like to stay abreast of the new work out in the field. The story is very heartwarming and full of pirating fun, but it is really the illustrations that set this work apart. Kyle Stone's illustrations are fresh and unique and immediatley send anyone (young or old) deep into the heart of a pirate's most extravagant journey. Even the endpapers are fabulous! I highly suggest this book, it is truly a treasure.

El Mort "crowKing" (Mayor's Income, Tenn.)
Great great book. Short and sweet (piratey sweet) rhyming tale. The art really carries the story, the humour and the heartfelt theme.
If you've a pirate freaky child (as we do) this one fits the bill!!!

Plymouth Pilgrim
A Wonderful Book!, March 6, 2008
I think the imagery and colors really carry this book. The story line is good, but the art is great. A great read for young pirates.

E. Long (MI, USA)
This is a great book all around. I am a children's book seller and would recommend this book as a wonderful gift for a boy or girl, or even for a dad, perhaps for a cute father's day gift. The rich, whimsical illustrations and pirate theme are perfect for today's children--pirates are in, and so are quality pictures books like this one!

L. M. Rajt
We Love this book!, March 4, 2008
This book is a big hit at our house! The story is whimsical (it's easy to do great voices to go along with the characters) and the illustrations are really sophisticated, so they hold our little one's interest. Love it!

Christopher Machnacki "Razmataz" (Canton, MI United States)
Great for boys and girls!, March 2, 2008
So far I've bought this picture book for 3 friends who recently had babies. All of the newborns were girls. All of the parents loved the story. Just like illustrations from Kyle Stone's (the illustrator) previous book "Bury Me In the Library", these illustrations are also fantastic!!!

Steven "BookDads.com"
Is your Dad a pirate?, April 23, 2009
A little boy tells all about his wonderful pirate Papa in this whimsical rhyming book about their fun and exciting life together aboard a pirate ship. The unusual illustrations will hold any child's interest, and this book is sure to be a hit with any boy who loves pirates (and his Papa!).