"Charlotte Jane the Hearty came howling into the world with the sunrise," but she's so full of pirate swagger and "formidable oomph," that she refuses to go to bed. First-time author Wolfe and Spanish illustrator Monescillo, making her U.S. debut, sprinkle the book with enough derring-do to please the most enthusiastic, action-loving pirate fans. "I like to get all the juice out of my days!" Charlotte Jane announces, but after missing an entire night's sleep, she feels miserable the next day. "Her oomph seemed to have gone to sleep without her. ‘Traitor,' she said." Her parents go in search of her missing oomph, but it's Charlotte Jane who solves her own problem by discovering that while "Sleep was for landlubbers," dreams are another story, providing her both with nocturnal excitement and ammunition for the next day's adventures. Monescillo's detailed and gently textured watercolors are full of insouciant pirate energy (Charlotte Jane's bravado is matched by that of her surly teddy bear, who wears an eye patch), and Wolfe's text has as much charm and verve as her heroine. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)
"Monescillo's detailed and gently textured watercolors are full of insouciant pirate energy (Charlotte Jane's bravado is matched by that of her surly teddy bear, who wears an eye patch), and Wolfe's text has as much charm and verve as her heroine."—Publishers Weekly "[This] bedtime story is satisfying, and casting a little girl as a pirate is downright refreshing."—Kirkus Reviews "The use of dialogue and strong vocabulary results in a well-paced story that flows elegantly from beginning to end. The whimsical watercolor illustrations–accompanied by digitally created textures to add depth–are captivating, and perfectly complement the text. A generous helping of humorously entertaining pirate speak makes this an enjoyable choice for readers and listeners alike."—School Library Journal —
PreS-Gr 3—Charlotte Jane the Hearty was endowed with "formidable oomph" from the day she was born. Her days are filled with swashbuckling adventures, treasure hunts, and Fantastic Feats of Daring, but despite her pirate parents' exhortations, she has no interest in sleep. When at last Charlotte is victorious in her pursuit to stay awake all night, she finds that in the morning she is feeling less than hearty, and her oomph has "weighed anchor." A hunt for it ensues, with Charlotte's parents searching everywhere imaginable, but it is the child who ultimately finds the missing oomph in the comfort of her own featherbed. "Charlotte Jane's hearty dreams…were rip-roarers!" This charming, clever tale about the merits of a good night's sleep features a youngster brandishing a bounty of pluck. The use of dialogue and strong vocabulary results in a well-paced story that flows elegantly from beginning to end. The whimsical watercolor illustrations—accompanied by digitally created textures to add depth—are captivating, and perfectly complement the text. A generous helping of humorously entertaining pirate speak makes this an enjoyable choice for readers and listeners alike.—Debbie Lewis, Alachua County Library District, FL
In a pirate/bedtime-story mash-up, a little girl resists sleeping until she realizes that some shut-eye will restore her "formidable oomph."
Throughout the story, Monescillo's digitally enhanced watercolors present a contemporary setting in which this family just happens to live a pirate's life. Charlotte Jane relishes "swashbuckling sessions, treasure hunts, and Fantastic Feats of Daring." Although she may be "finer than a ship full of jewels," though, Charlotte Jane refuses to sleep. Her parents urge her to rest, but, curiously, they leave her to her own devices, and then "one dark night she didn't go to bed at all." The next spread shows her bleary-eyed and whispering "Victory!" at sunrise. Alas, the triumph is short lived once she realizes that exhaustion won't let her go about her usual activities, and she announces, "Arr...My oomph's weighed anchor." She and her parents hunt for it as though searching for buried treasure, until Charlotte Jane spies her featherbed and acquiesces, waking rejuvenated from "hearty dreams" at book's end.
While references to "juicy" living seem a bit cutesy and out of step with the pirate theme, the bedtime story is satisfying, and casting a little girl as a pirate is downright refreshing. (Picture book. 3-6)
