Captain Bogbrush’s crew aboard the Leaky Sneaker is full of the piratey-est pirates: dirty, smelly, strong, and fierce. The one exception is Montague Frippington von Fancypants, who gives the captain a headache. When Montague decides to wear petticoats to stay cool on a hot day, the captain tells him, “Pirates don’t do that!” Same for when Montague puts on a pearl necklace, wears perfume, or politely serves tea to a captured foe while wearing a ballgown. “I am a pirate, so I guess pirates do,” Montague calmly replies to each criticism.
Captain Bogbrush gets increasingly frustrated, until finally, Montague reminds him that the crew is still the best one on the seas, even if some mind their manners and wear jewelry and lace. The captain relents (and discovers that petticoats do keep one pretty cool). Now, although the crew may still be the dirtiest, smelliest, and fiercest, they’re also the “where-all-crew-belongest,” “do-your-own-thingiest,” “liveliest, loyal-est” on the seas.
Is Montague queer? He never uses a label, but is certainly gender creative, and that’s enough for me to include the book here.
Author Melinda Beatty’s text is wonderfully silly (with great names for the pirates, like “Muddy Mathaias” and “Half-a-Moustache Kevin”), while Stefano Tambellini’s entertaining illustrations add to the book’s humor. There’s a serious message here about celebrating difference while being a team, but it’s wrapped in such fun that it doesn’t feel like a lesson. I particularly appreciate that Montague is unshakably confident all the way through; he knows who he is and refuses to be defined by others or told that he doesn’t belong on the crew. The energetic and recommended tale would make for a great read-aloud, either at home or for a drag story time.
Montague and the captain are White.
