The Pirates Are Coming!

By John Condon, Matt Hunt (illustrator),

Book cover of The Pirates Are Coming!

Book description

A hilarious retelling of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, with not one but TWO twists!

Tom has a VERY important job; every day he climbs to the top of the hill and watches for pirate ships. But when he rings his bell and shouts "PIRATES!" a few too many times…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked The Pirates Are Coming! as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I adore this piratey parody of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." As a parent and former teacher, I’ve had the privilege of reading to kids for decades. This picture book is ideal for a giggly good storytime. I especially appreciate how the refrain “The pirates are coming! Quick! Everybody hide!” builds suspense (and silliness!) and creates lots of opportunities for kids to make predictions about what sort of ship is actually out on the horizon. Clever and comedic illustrations amp up the fun.

From Charlotte's list on perfectly piratey storytimes.

Want books like The Pirates Are Coming!?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 78 books like The Pirates Are Coming!.

Browse books like The Pirates Are Coming!

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Pirates, lying, and piracy?

Pirates 90 books
Lying 38 books
Piracy 140 books