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Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC
The captain of this brave and bumbling pirate crew has ordered them to capture the entire alphabet--and they'll walk the plank if they're missing a single letter! Now these swashbuckling mateys are embarking on an alphabet adventure unlike any other, and they won't (ahem, can't ) rest until they've found an A , a Z , and everything in between.
June Sobel's hilarious text and Henry Cole's adventurous animal pirates harmonize in an irresistible book for alphabet-learning, pirate-loving kids everywhere.
June Sobel's hilarious text and Henry Cole's adventurous animal pirates harmonize in an irresistible book for alphabet-learning, pirate-loving kids everywhere.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
32 people are currently reading
1206 people want to read
About the author
June Sobel
25 books25 followersJune Sobel was born in New York City and grew up in the Long Island suburb of Oceanside, New York. She graduated Skidmore College and has an MFA in Painting from Stanford University. The birth of her son renewed her interest in the read aloud magic of picture books. June loves the challenge of creating books that awaken the wonder of words and pictures in children as well as keep the child alive in adults. She wrote her first book B IS FOR BULLDOZER illustrated by Melissa Iwai when she couldn't find an ABC book on construction for her truck obsessed three year old. Her books include SHIVER ME LETTERS - A PIRATE ABC illustrated by Henry Cole and the THE GOODNIGHT TRAIN series illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith. THE GOODNIGHT TRAIN series continues with new books coming in 2024 and 2025. She is also the author of the TOW TRUCK JOE series with HO! HO! HO! TOW TRUCK JOE released in time for the 2023 holiday season. Children beginning kindergarten can look forward to FIRST DAY! HOORAY! before the 2024 school year. When June is not enjoying adventure travel, she loves to take pictures, read, hike, watch birds and make things grow. She lives in Westlake Village, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
July 1, 2025
Your kiddo will have fun spotting the alphabet throughout these piratey pages!
Watch my kid’s ABC time and discover our family favorites.
Ages: 2 - 5
Content Considerations: nothing to note.
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Watch my kid’s ABC time and discover our family favorites.
Ages: 2 - 5
Content Considerations: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
I have an Instagram account that’s pretty bookishly unique too!
August 30, 2011
This book was neat. Children will loved to share their best "rrrrr"! I would not only use this book as an alphabet book, but I would expand it and have the students find letters in their surroundings just like the Pirates did and "capture" them! Then maybe we can make our own story! We could even do a scavenger hunt and find the letters in ABC order!
September 16, 2022
Get ready to sail the high seas in this awesome alphabetical search-and-find book. This book is a perfect introduction to funny pirate-speak that also encourages inquisitive readers. Witty and intelligently-illustrated, this book is arghh-uably awesome for learning ABCs.
Check this book out at the Villa Park Public Library!
Check this book out at the Villa Park Public Library!
January 10, 2014
My five-year-old son picked this book out from the library this week, because he likes ABC books and pirates. And you can't go wrong with a pirate alphabet book, right?
Um, yeah, you kind of can. You could use weird almost rhyme at the beginning of the story, and painful doggerel for the rest of the book. Incidentally, I am not opposed to doggerel unless it is painful. Then you could use some strange items to bring the letters into the book (and the pirate ship). You could make it so confusing and dull that my son will lose interest by the I for Interest. And you could fill it with nothing-special illustrations. You could do all of that, and have this book.
Actual rating: 2.5, but this time I'm rounding down because of the disappointment level.
Um, yeah, you kind of can. You could use weird almost rhyme at the beginning of the story, and painful doggerel for the rest of the book. Incidentally, I am not opposed to doggerel unless it is painful. Then you could use some strange items to bring the letters into the book (and the pirate ship). You could make it so confusing and dull that my son will lose interest by the I for Interest. And you could fill it with nothing-special illustrations. You could do all of that, and have this book.
Actual rating: 2.5, but this time I'm rounding down because of the disappointment level.
October 10, 2018
The idea is cute, even if the rhymes are a bit clunky at time and annoyingly the illustrations (cute as they are) do not match what is being said. The "E" and "F" and "U"and "V" combinations are especially frustrating to me, as is the fact that they were supposed to be "toothlessly" sailing and there is the pirate pig with a big grin of teeth. But, I digress. My two-year old loves this book and I only complain because I am forced to read it about four times a day. She loves finding the letters, which is what one hopes this book would inspire. So, ahoy! Read on we shall!
February 23, 2018
I love the illustrations and the concept of these pirates hunting for letters. And it is a fun read-aloud.
It's the letters - the letters are too subtle in the illustrations and in the text.
"A B floated by on
the crystal clear bay."
Will young children know that "bay" begins with B? While looking at the illustration, they will see the B floating in the water!
It's the letters - the letters are too subtle in the illustrations and in the text.
"A B floated by on
the crystal clear bay."
Will young children know that "bay" begins with B? While looking at the illustration, they will see the B floating in the water!
October 9, 2008
Clever concept ("R" roared the captain) but a few of the letters really are a stretch and not illustrated to be clearly connected "...while one nimble N popped right out of a beard". Still, it will probably engage little pirates learning their letters.
March 7, 2018
Pure fun and joy. It's like watching an episode of the original Electric Company or Sesame Street. Seeing your ABCs with this pirate crew is wonderful and casting a crocodile as the Pirate Captain is a winning move. Great rhyming being done here too.
May 22, 2020
This is cute story of animal pirates who are on a mission to find all of the alphabet letters.
Children will enjoy the pirate angle and the pictures are attractive. Unfortunately, many of the letters are indistinct and hard to find in the pictures.
Children will enjoy the pirate angle and the pictures are attractive. Unfortunately, many of the letters are indistinct and hard to find in the pictures.
July 5, 2017
This book is great for a pirate-lover or as a way to introduce pirates and the idea of a treasure hunt to kids. Animal pirates go sailing in search of all the letters of the alphabet. Kids get practice scanning as they look for the treasure!
Shiver Me Letters makes great use of thematic elements; they find an anchor, a cannonball, gold, a map, and a sword, etc. I'm trying to pay some attention to introducing my kids to important children's themes, like pirates, so this is great for that kind of literary education.
However, some elements are a bit of a miss (they find B floating on a bay) and a few of the illustrations aren't well executed (the S-shaped sword is too subtle). But it's easy to hurry past the lesser moments because the rhyming verse is quick-paced and carries you along easily.
I am a huge fan of Sobel's writing. She is an expert in pulse and sound, and I like her choice to have each rhyme land on the the next letter of the alphabet. Because of this structure, my son Harry is able to predict what is coming (if he forgets where we are in the story). He announces each letter with a huge smile at precisely the right beat. This confidence-booster is fabulous for kids who like to be correct (Who doesn't?) and for those who really enjoy participating with fill-ins.
Shiver Me Letters makes great use of thematic elements; they find an anchor, a cannonball, gold, a map, and a sword, etc. I'm trying to pay some attention to introducing my kids to important children's themes, like pirates, so this is great for that kind of literary education.
However, some elements are a bit of a miss (they find B floating on a bay) and a few of the illustrations aren't well executed (the S-shaped sword is too subtle). But it's easy to hurry past the lesser moments because the rhyming verse is quick-paced and carries you along easily.
I am a huge fan of Sobel's writing. She is an expert in pulse and sound, and I like her choice to have each rhyme land on the the next letter of the alphabet. Because of this structure, my son Harry is able to predict what is coming (if he forgets where we are in the story). He announces each letter with a huge smile at precisely the right beat. This confidence-booster is fabulous for kids who like to be correct (Who doesn't?) and for those who really enjoy participating with fill-ins.
September 7, 2018
So who wouldn't like pirates as a little kid. When I saw this book I knew that I had to borrow it from the library to read to my three year old as we learned about the alphabet. This book did not disappoint and my older two kiddos were in luck when Mason selected to read this for bedtime. In the book "Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC" by June Sobel the illustrations were so colorful and really draw your eyes in to the whole book. Also the illustrations covered the whole page so there was a lot to see on each page. I really liked how they didn't have to stretch the text to fit each letter. The kids had a blast saying arr...through out the book as we read it. Ginny (7 years old) loved being able to read along with me. Miles (5 years old) loved shouting Ar...and pointing out the letters. Mason (3 years old) just giggled through out the book. But don't take our word for it check out this book. It might surprise you....ARR...
Don't forget to check out Mason 1000 Books before Kindergarten list.
Don't forget to check out Mason 1000 Books before Kindergarten list.
April 10, 2018
Delightfully illustrated with a crew of animal pirates, the rhyming text in this book details the pirates’ search for letters other than “R” so that they can be tough! And just to make sure that this bumbling crew follows his orders, the pirate captain decrees they’ll walk the plank if they don’t find every single letter.
Young readers will delight in the antics of the pirate crew as they learn the alphabet. The illustrations are a perfect companion to the text, making this adventure pure fun for pirate-loving readers of all ages.
Highly recommended.
Young readers will delight in the antics of the pirate crew as they learn the alphabet. The illustrations are a perfect companion to the text, making this adventure pure fun for pirate-loving readers of all ages.
Highly recommended.
August 24, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
You would think that a pirate's favorite letter is R but it's actually the C! Learn your ABC's from a pirate crew and have some fun, too.
Highlights: The pirate crew captures letters while using words that start with each respective letter. For example, "They dug for doubloons and scooped up a D." Illustrations are creative and makes it fun to search for the letters.
Lowlights: Sometimes the rhymes don't make any sense, but it makes the alphabet search work.
You would think that a pirate's favorite letter is R but it's actually the C! Learn your ABC's from a pirate crew and have some fun, too.
Highlights: The pirate crew captures letters while using words that start with each respective letter. For example, "They dug for doubloons and scooped up a D." Illustrations are creative and makes it fun to search for the letters.
Lowlights: Sometimes the rhymes don't make any sense, but it makes the alphabet search work.
March 31, 2019
1. Awards- None
2. Grade level- Preschool- Kindergarten
3. Original summary- Go on a pirate adventure with your class and try finding all the letters hidden through out the pages. Your class is sure to have an adventurous time.
4. Original review- This is a book that I use in my preschool classroom. They love looking along and trying to find all the hidden letters on the page.
5. Classroom uses- Use as an assessment tool for letters, ask a child to find a certain letter on each page.
2. Grade level- Preschool- Kindergarten
3. Original summary- Go on a pirate adventure with your class and try finding all the letters hidden through out the pages. Your class is sure to have an adventurous time.
4. Original review- This is a book that I use in my preschool classroom. They love looking along and trying to find all the hidden letters on the page.
5. Classroom uses- Use as an assessment tool for letters, ask a child to find a certain letter on each page.
June 14, 2017
A fun "interactive" book about finding letters. My younger brothers loved this book as a read-a-loud when he was learning the alphabet.
By interactive, I mean the language that is used is different which can make for interactions with the kids. Example, the captain yelled "Rrrr" and "Rrrr" replied the crew. Can have children reply with an "Rrr" or yell out all the letters that they see.
By interactive, I mean the language that is used is different which can make for interactions with the kids. Example, the captain yelled "Rrrr" and "Rrrr" replied the crew. Can have children reply with an "Rrr" or yell out all the letters that they see.
November 6, 2018
This is a fun, interactive book for children in the 3-6 age group. It has children hunting for letters and making pirate sounds. I think it could lead to a fun writing activity about being a pirate and finding a treasure chest. The illustrations, word choices, and opportunities for exaggerated expressions make the book entertaining and engaging.
July 20, 2019
We liked this book
My 7 year old daughter says: “We like the book because it rhymes and we like the pictures. And because we like looking for the letters in the pictures. I like how the book ended because they found the Zs. I like the crew because they’re silly and they said they want lunch.”
My 7 year old daughter says: “We like the book because it rhymes and we like the pictures. And because we like looking for the letters in the pictures. I like how the book ended because they found the Zs. I like the crew because they’re silly and they said they want lunch.”
September 14, 2022
I really liked the concept of the pirates searching for all the letters in the alphabet, however I felt the rhyming was a bit clunky at times and the illustrations were occasionally confusing while reading along. I think Kindergarten or 1st grade kids would love this book, but my toddlers at story time might be a little lost.
January 6, 2023
It was fine. Not bad for kids, but this is my goodreads and for the sake of my recommendations I gotta give it a 1 star because I did not like it. I prefer the more lyrical alphabet books to read, that don't end up giving me a tongue twister to try and read aloud when I'm tired and tongue tied enough as is lol.
September 6, 2017
A great pirate themed book to learn letters and the alphabet. The pirates look at their surroundings and "capture" the letters. It would be cute to have students look around the room and "capture" the alphabet.
August 19, 2019
The concept is fun, but some of the letters are really hard to see and recognize. Rhyming text is a bit clunky at times, but the pictures are fun. Not the best alphabet book out there, but certainly not the worst, either. Pirate enthusiasts will appreciate it the most.
Read
January 8, 2020My 2 year old grandson actually sat and listened to the whole book. Not easy for a toddler.
My 2 year old grandson actually sat and listened to the whole book. Not easy for a toddler. He is ready for another story now
My 2 year old grandson actually sat and listened to the whole book. Not easy for a toddler. He is ready for another story now
September 19, 2024
Very cute, I loved how the letters tied into the story and the letters hidden in the pictures. It was great to have the kids look for the letters, and the older kids helped the younger ones find the "harder" letters.
October 2, 2024
Meh. I read this for the last day of ABC Bootcamp and then did a letter hunt where the kids cut out letters from magazines. The letter hunt part was fun. This book was all right. I struggled to find some of the letters to point out in the illustrations. I’d pick a different book next time.
May 19, 2017
the illustrations are fun and my nephews week enjoy it. it's kind of lime the a b c game you play in the car, but pirate themed.
August 21, 2017
Pirate lovers will love this book filled with pirates finding their ABC's .
October 18, 2017
Genre: Informational
Grade Level: preK-K
This informational ABC book is perfect for students learning their ABC's, with a pirate twist! The storyline is cute and captivating while staying on task with the alphabet for learning students. I would definitely use this in a lower elementary aged classroom!
Grade Level: preK-K
This informational ABC book is perfect for students learning their ABC's, with a pirate twist! The storyline is cute and captivating while staying on task with the alphabet for learning students. I would definitely use this in a lower elementary aged classroom!
January 28, 2018
fun pirate book! also a great way to learn ABC's!
February 6, 2018
The boys love this book. Have checked it out more than once. Just a typical rhyming abc book, but for some reason they love it every time we read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2018
Perfect for reading to the littles during Talk Like a Pirate week. We are making spy glasses and going on an alphabet treasure hunt after reading this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews