ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Awnie's House ????☠️ Kids Book Read Aloud: HOW I BECAME A PIRATE by Melinda Long and David Shannon
Hello there! It’s Ani. I’m so glad you’re here. Today, we’re going to read “How I Became a Pirate.” If you have a copy, go get it so you can read along with me.
Written by: Melinda Long
Illustrated by: David Shannon
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a pirate? Pirates have green teeth. Would they have any teeth at all? Let me tell you a story about a boy named Jeremy Jacobs who found out all about pirates one day at the beach.
Jeremy was building a sandcastle when he saw a pirate ship with a flag that had a skull and crossbones. The pirates were singing a funny song. Jeremy tried to tell his parents, but they were busy. So, he watched as the pirates rowed to shore.
The head pirate, Braid Beard, asked Jeremy if they were at the Spanish Main. Jeremy told him they were at North Beach. Braid Beard was surprised and said they took a wrong turn. He noticed Jeremy’s sandcastle and said Jeremy was a good digger. The pirates needed someone to help bury their treasure!
Braid Beard invited Jeremy to join them. Jeremy thought it would be okay as long as he was back for soccer practice. That’s how Jeremy became a pirate!
On the pirate ship, Jeremy saw a chest full of gold and jewels. The pirates taught him to sing loud sea songs and say pirate words like “landlubber” and “scurvy dog.” By dinner, Jeremy could talk like a pirate!
Jeremy learned pirate manners too. They shouted “Down the hatch!” before eating and didn’t have to eat spinach or carrots. They didn’t say “please” or “thank you” either!
Jeremy tried to teach the pirates to play soccer, but they weren’t very good. The ball even got swallowed by a shark! Pirates don’t have bedtimes, baths, or teeth brushing, which might be why their teeth are green.
Jeremy wanted to be a pirate forever until he realized they didn’t have books or bedtime stories. When a storm hit, Jeremy was scared and decided he didn’t want to be a pirate anymore.
During the storm, Jeremy helped the pirates find a place to bury their treasure. After the storm, they went back to shore and buried the chest. Braid Beard gave Jeremy a pirate flag and said he was a fine pirate.
Jeremy decided he liked some things about being a pirate, but he missed books and bedtime stories. He was happy to go back to his normal life and soccer practice.
Jeremy Jacobs had quite an adventure. There were some things he really liked about being a pirate, weren’t there? But then he found out there were some things he didn’t. Do you remember what some of those things were?
That’s right! There were no books, no goodnight kisses, and no tucking in. He decided he didn’t want to be a pirate after all.
I hope you enjoyed our story today! Don’t forget to subscribe. See you next time! If you liked this video and want to see more, be sure to subscribe and leave me a comment to let me know what your favorite books are.
Pirate Adventure Role Play: Gather some simple props like hats, scarves, or eye patches and create a pirate adventure at home or in the classroom. Pretend to be pirates like Jeremy and his friends. What kind of treasure would you bury? Where would you sail your pirate ship? Encourage children to use their imagination and come up with their own pirate names and stories.
Treasure Map Drawing: Have the children draw their own treasure maps. They can decide where their treasure is hidden and what obstacles might be in the way. Encourage them to use symbols and a legend to make their map easy to understand. Once finished, they can trade maps with a friend and try to find each other’s treasure.
Discussion on Pirate Life: Ask the children to think about what they would like and dislike about being a pirate. Would they enjoy the adventure and treasure hunting? What about missing out on books and bedtime stories? Encourage them to share their thoughts and discuss how Jeremy felt about his pirate adventure.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello there! It’s Ani. I’m so glad you’re here. Today, we’re going to read “How I Became a Pirate.” If you have a copy, go get it so you can read along with me.
**How I Became a Pirate**
Written by Melinda Long
Illustrated by David Shannon
Pirates have green teeth. Would they have any teeth at all? I know about pirates because one day when I was at the beach building a sandcastle and minding my own business, a pirate ship sailed into view. I knew what it was because its flag had a skull and crossbones on it, and I could hear the pirates singing, “Hey Ho, Blow the Man Down.” They were a little off-key.
I tried to tell Dad, but he was busy setting up the beach umbrella. I tried to tell Mom, but she was busy slathering my baby sister with sunscreen, so I went back to my sandcastle but kept an eye on the pirates. By then, they were rowing to shore. When they landed, the head pirate climbed out of the boat and yelled, “Ahoy there! Might this be the Spanish Main?”
“No,” I said. “This is North Beach.”
“Shiver me timbers,” the pirate said. “We must have taken a wrong turn at Bora Bora.” He walked around my sandcastle, looked at the boat, then yelled back to his crew, “He’s a digger he is, and a good one to boot!” The others agreed.
“What be our name, matey?” the head pirate asked.
“Jeremy Jacobs, sir,” I told him.
“Well, Jeremy Jacobs,” he said, “you’re looking at Braid Beard and his crew. We’ve been needing a digger like yourself. We’ve a chest of treasure to bury!”
“Treasure!” the others shouted. “You’re coming with us!”
Braid Beard told me I didn’t think Mom and Dad would mind as long as I got back in time for soccer practice the next day. That’s how I became a pirate.
As soon as we were on board, Braid Beard showed me the chest of gold and jewels. “Got to find a safe place for this here treasure. It’s high time we were off!” he announced.
“We’re off!” we all shouted, and then we set sail. There was plenty to do on board. The pirates taught me to sing sea shanties—the louder, the better—and to say real pirate stuff like “landlubber” and “scurvy dog.” By dinner time, I could speak pirate perfectly.
I also learned pirate manners. Braid Beard pounded his fists on the table and yelled, “Down the hatch, me hearties!” We all shouted, “Down the hatch!” Braid Beard gulped his food and said, “Hand over the meat!”
“The meat!” we all roared. Nobody told us to finish our spinach—there wasn’t any—or to chew up our carrots—they weren’t allowed on board. We talked with our mouths full, and nobody said “please” or “thank you.”
After dinner, I tried to teach the pirates to play soccer. Braid Beard kicked the ball and yelled, “Arrgh, soccer!” The crew yelled, “Iron soccer!” Then everybody dove for the ball at once, and it rolled right off the deck.
“After it, me hearties!” Braid Beard commanded.
“After it!” we all whispered. We fought over who would go get the ball, but it didn’t matter anyway because a shark came along and swallowed it in one gulp. So much for soccer!
By now, it was past my bedtime, but nobody tells pirates to go to bed, to take a bath, or to brush their teeth. Maybe that’s why their teeth are green. Pirates sleep with one eye open just in case, and they don’t change into pajamas unless they want to. Pirates don’t do anything they don’t want to—except for maybe swabbing the decks.
I wanted to be a pirate forever, but then I found out what else they don’t do. When I couldn’t stay awake any longer, I asked Braid Beard to tuck me in and read me a story.
“Tuck you in?” he bellowed. “Pirates don’t tuck in!” the crew cried. And the only thing they had to read was a map.
“Don’t you have any books?” I asked. Braid Beard looked confused.
“Books?” I didn’t even bother to ask about a goodnight kiss. It wasn’t easy to fall asleep without a story, but I was finally dozing off when a storm broke.
Thunder boomed and lightning flashed. I tried to hide under the covers as waves slammed against the ship, but I kept falling out of my hammock. I couldn’t find anyone in the cabin; they were all on deck.
“Lower the sails!” Braid Beard shouted. “Batten down the hatches!” Everybody ran around yelling and lowering and battening. Nobody had time to sit close and tell me it would be over soon. Nobody even noticed me.
I decided that I didn’t want to be a pirate after all. Just then, flash! Crash! Crack! Lightning hit the mast and split it right down the middle.
“We’ll have to turn back!” called another pirate.
“But the treasure!” Braid Beard shouted. “Where will we bury the treasure?”
I stepped forward. “Maybe I can help!” I shouted over the wind. “I think I know the perfect digging spot.”
When the storm was over, we rode back to shore and buried the chest. We drew a map so we could find the treasure again, but I don’t think I’ll need it.
After that, the pirates repaired the ship and got ready to set sail. Before they left, Braid Beard handed me a flag and said, “You make a fine pirate, Jeremy Jacobs. Guard that treasure well. We’ll be back to get it soon enough!”
“Soon enough!” the crew repeated.
“And if you ever need us,” Braid Beard added, “just run the Jolly Roger up yonder pole!”
“Up yonder pole!” the others shouted.
“And maybe I will, but not today. I have soccer practice.”
Jeremy Jacobs had quite an adventure. There were some things he really liked about being a pirate, weren’t there? But then he found out there were some things he didn’t. Do you remember what some of those things were?
That’s right! There were no books, no goodnight kisses, and no tucking in. He decided he didn’t want to be a pirate after all.
I hope you enjoyed our story today! Don’t forget to subscribe. See you next time! If you liked this video and want to see more, be sure to subscribe and leave me a comment to let me know what your favorite books are.
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