Read Pirate Stew to my two boys aged 8 and 4. They both really enjoyed the story and it led to lots of imaginative talk about what things might happen if they had pirate babysitters. We also had a lot of discussion on all the pirate vocabulary. As a huge Neil Gaiman fan, it was great to be able to share a story by my favourite author with my boys. As an illustrator Chris Riddell can do no wrong and this was another beautiful example of his work. As soon as I had finished reading the story the boys insisted on going back to the beginning and my 8 year old re-read the story to his brother. I'll definitely be getting copies of this both for home and at school.

Fabulous! Neil Gaiman has created a masterpiece and this one deserves to become an instant classic. The rhyme scheme is so well crafted, I defy any reader not to start reading it aloud, even if you have no audience to listen. These are words that can’t stay trapped in your head - they burst and fizz with energy until you find yourself muttering them aloud, grinning at the way they fit together! At times, the rhythm echoes other favourites- I was at times thinking of ‘From a Railway Carriage’, ‘Sea Fever’ and even ‘Upper Lambourne’. As soon as I had finished reading, I went straight back in for another go. Chris Riddell’s illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to a tale which will delight the youngest to the oldest in my Primary School. I can’t wait to read it aloud to the whole school in assembly (on National Poetry Day, perhaps?), to watch children pore over and delight in the illustrations In class, and to offer my Drama Club the chance to choose favourite sections to perform. Can’t recommend this highly enough!

What a lovely picture book from Gaiman and Riddell! The illustrations took me back to the edge chronicles and I love Riddells imaginative portrayal of the pirates in this tale. The rhyming prose was easy and flowing and the silly tale will engage children everywhere. Really enjoyed this one!

You can barely go wrong with a Neil Gaiman book for the young, nor with Chris Riddell tasked to do the illustrations. This full-colour picture book might not be a modern classic – to me the plotting wasn't quite even, and the nonsense of the story was not given the compelling work the bouncing, energetically rhyming telling of it had – but it is both of them working very well together. It's a breezy bit of silliness, and will go down well.

A brilliant rhyming story which would entertain a child of any age. I can imagine it would be fabulous read aloud. The illustrations are incredibly intricate. Wouldn't have expected less from Gaiman and Riddell.

Thanks for the ARC! My first kids/picture book via Netgalley so I wasn't sure how great a digital proof would be but the PDF version in the Netgalley app was excellent. Lovely visuals as ever from Chris Riddell (who is a complete genius) with ace words from one of my favourite authors. Always happy to recommend Neil's titles to customers of any age!

The talented dream team of Gaiman and Riddell have done it again. Fantastic rhyming story with the most fabulously intricate illustrations. I could look at them for hours.
Perfect for reading out loud or for any little readers, piratical or otherwise.