THE PIRATE OF KINDERGARTEN

THE PIRATE OF KINDERGARTEN
by George Ella Lyon
Illustrated by Lynne Avril

Image credit: www.simonandschuster.com

1. Bibliography

Lyon, George Ella. 2010. The Pirate of Kindergarten. Ill. by Lynne Avril. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-1-4169-5024-0

2. Plot Summary

Ginny is a kindergartner suffering from double vision.  At school, she sees two of everything including chairs, people, and words on a page.  Ginny is determined to read, so she closes one eye and squints. In math, the "numbers hopped around like popcorn" and she had difficulty cutting out shapes with scissors.  She sometimes gets frustrated while doing her work.  Then, a school vision screening caught the problem and the school nurse explains to Ginny that "most people see only one".  After a visit to the eye doctor, Ginny would have to wear a patch on her eye to correct the problem.  With the patch in place, she calls herself a "kindergarten pirate" as she is now able to do her favorite activities with ease.

3. Critical Analysis

This story introduces a character with a vision disability in an approachable and easy to grasp manner.  Young children would be engaged with the short text and expressive illustrations.  This story does not make the reader feel sorry for Ginny, but it does show her having difficulties in school.  The story is honest as it shows other kids laughing at Ginny at the way she read, she reacts by "tighten[ing] her mind" and reading softer.  During the school vision screening, the nurse figures out Ginny's problem, but does not act alarmed or embarrass her.  Ginny's trip to the eye doctor would reassure children who are nervous about such a visit.  Ginny matter-of-factly explains her eye exam stating, "It didn't hurt, but it made her a little dizzy." At the end of the story, her new eye patch is given a positive spin as she "became a Kindergarten Pirate", and she is able to "read and read".

Avril's colorful pastel, acrylic and colored pencil illustrations perfectly portray a lively kindergarten classroom and then a friendly eye doctor's office.  Some illustrations depict Ginny's view of the world with double sets of chairs and double text on the pages of her books.  These illustrations are an effective way to show children what some people experience that have a vision problem without making fun of them.  

There are several cultural markers present in The Pirate of Kindergarten. In the beginning of the story, Ginny is not aware that she has any sort of disability.  She thinks that way that her eyes work is the same for everyone.  This feeling could be true for young children that have various disabilities.  Ginny also displays her frustration with her skills that are not equal to her peers' when she "got so mad, she stuck the scissors in the paste".  Readers would be able to understand that sometimes a disability can cause a person to act out from their frustration.  The empathy that her teacher, Ms. Cleo, displays throughout the story is an example of an appropriate attitude toward a person with a disability.  This book could be an effective read aloud for young children to initiate discussion about how to treat others that see, hear, move or learn differently.

4. Review Excerpts & Awards

BOOKLIST (May 2010) "Based on Lyon's own experience, the sensitively written story radiates empathy and good humor. Even children who have not experienced Ginny's problem will understand her occasional frustration and find it intriguing that one person can literally see the world differently from another."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (June 2010) "Lyon's short, descriptive sentences set up the situation deftly, and Avril's astute chalk, pencil, and acrylic drawings of 'two of everything' provide a vivid window into Ginny's pre-treatment world."

• Schneider Family Book Award, 2011
• Volunteer State Book Award Nominee, 2013

5. Connections

• Similar titles about children with vision-related disabilities are My Travelin' Eye by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw and The Patch by Justina Chen.
• This award-winning book could be used to begin a classroom discussion about treating others with respect, how people have differences, and how to treat others with differences.
• Teachers or librarians could access a short list of kid-friendly questions answered by the author, George Ella Lyon here.