Poetry Friday with a review of The Adventures of Piratess Tilly: Easter Island

When I first started reviewing poetry titles I was sent a book full of haiku poems. I fell in love with this poetry form and have made a point of seeking out haiku poetry books ever since. Today I bring you a review of a book that tells a delightful story using a series of haiku poems. The story describes an adventure that a girl and her friends take, and there are also natural history and environmental themes woven into the narrative.

The Adventures of Piratess Tilly: Easter Island

Elizabeth Lorayne

Illustrated by Karen Watson

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

White Wave Press, 2017, 978-0-997-90980-7

Piratess Tilly and her friends are setting sail on their beautiful ship, the Foster. This time they are going to Easter Island, and Tilly is hoping to continue to study nature so that she can become a “True Naturalist.”

   As they sail, Tilly and her koala friend Yuki make use of the books that line the walls of Tilly’s stateroom. They read, study, and sketch, following in the footsteps of Katherine Routledge, who also sailed to Easter Island in 1913.

   Eventually they arrive at their destination; Easter Island is in front of them with its majestic rocky shore and its stone statues. The travelers go ashore where they start to explore. Donning diving gear Tilly and Yuki enter an ocean wonderland where fish, sea turtles, and other creatures live.

   Next Tilly and her friends visit some ruins where horses “roam freely.” They have a picnic, enjoying being in such a beautiful place. Then they look out to sea from the highest place on the island and they discover that a pirate ship is headed their way. Tilly knows all too well that pirates cannot be trusted, and sure enough when the pirates come on land they steal the eggs that the sooty terns have laid on the ground. The birds can do nothing to rescue their precious eggs from the greedy poachers, but Tilly can.

   This delightful book takes young readers of a wonderful journey of exploration across the ocean to Easter Island. The tale is told using haiku poems, and it is accompanied by lovely artwork. At the back of the book readers will find further information about Tilly’s heroes: Charles Darwin, and Katherine Routledge.