A really lovely book with fantastic illustrations. This story I did enjoy as the pirate searched for Ahoy. I feel like many children will enjoy this book and also have them wondering themselves what an Ahoy is. It got me thinking too that pirates are well known for shouting Ahoy but what is an Ahoy. Read the story to find out!

There's something so delightful about children's-book pirates. I'd rather not meet one in real life, but the pirates of "The Hoys" are a cheerful bunch!

I picked this up because it reminded me a bit of "The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate", which my family read repeatedly when I was little. There don't appear to be any lady pirates here, unfortunately, but instead Pirate Jake goes looking for the elusive hoys. (What's a hoy, you ask? Well, who else did you think is being referred to when a pirate shouts "Ahoy there!"?)

Colorful illustrations keep things lively, and while some of the vocabulary will probably call for a parent's explanation, I've come to really appreciate picture books that are not in verse; without that constraint, the language is often much more interesting. Enjoy the story...and then don't be surprised if the next small child who reads it wants to hunt for some hoys in remote corners of the beach.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

The Hoys by Kes Gray comes out April 2,2024. We’re big fans of Gray’s Oi Frog! series even though my kids will quibble with them a bit (Kangaroos should sit on didgeridoos!) so I was excited to read this new book.

This story follows a pirate as he sets out to find the hoys the other pirates keep going on about (a hoy there!). It’s cute word play and has magical elements. It’s not as silly as the Oi series, and the word play was lost on my littlest one. Perfect for 4 or 5 year olds, especially young readers who haven’t move to chapter books yet. The art is lovely. The other pirates are diverse ethnicities and genders. Not a can’t miss, but definitely worth adding to your little reader’s library.
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I immediately wanted to read this just based on the author - my son loves the Oi books and "You're called what?". He's too old for picture books now but I wanted to read this anyway.

Pirate Jake can't find a hoy anywhere, but everyone keeps shouting "ahoy there" at him so he sets off to find one.

It was only when I read it through the second time that I noticed the hoy in the early pictures of the book.

This is a really lovely book and I'll be adding it to my list of books to buy when my daughter is old enough to enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliantly funny picture book featuring Pirate Jake who is looking everywhere for "A hoy". All the other pirates seem to find one but he just can't! He sets off to find a hoy with his parrot who never repeats what Jake says so he feels even less like a real pirate.

The story was funny and engaging and the illustrations complimented the story beautifully - each time you look at them you spot some new detail.

A great bedtime story that can be read over and over again, or would make a brilliant addition to a pirate topic in school.

This was a cute story but unfortunately I personally did not like it. I think that there are plenty of children who will find this book funny and engaging this just wasn't one that I could see myself reading to my own children or recommending it to other peoples children

The Hoys is a delightful story about a pirate looking for all of the “hoys” people keep shouting about! It is clever, funny and has a delightful twist that my kids loved. The art style is beautiful and we loved finding little details hidden in the artwork. If you have a child who loves pirates or humor, this is the book for you! This would be an excellent elementary class read-along that would make students belly laugh and incite choruses of “ahoy” for days to come.

I love this book, it made me smile.
Great concept, great illustrations, great layout. What's not to love? This would be great to read aloud too.

This is a very clever concept and a lot of fun. Perfect for kids who love pirates and an ideal book for library story time sessions.

Brilliant, though from Kes Gray, this is no great surprise. Pirate Jake hears the other pirates shouting "ahoy there" but he can't see a hoy anywhere and is worried this means he isn't a proper pirate. After having a bit of a strop about it all, he finds some footprints in the sand and follows them and eventually realises he's not such a bad pirate after all. This book is full of the sort of humour I love and I shall look forward to sharing it, especially reading it aloud.

Ahoy there! Where?

what a beautifully illustrated book. this is short and perfect, captures the imagination and includes a little lesson on patience. lovely book

A very fun story about a pirate trying to find an actual hoy after always hearing the other pirates say “Ahoy there!” The story introduces children to wordplay in a way they can understand. The illustrations are very well done and capture the attention of children who will no doubt also be looking for a hoy. A great book for young children!

Why have I never thought about what a hoy is? Why have I never wondered why to find them? If a pirate can't find a hoy, are they even a pirate?

An adorable story of the struggle one pirate goes through to find the hoys and thereby feel like a true pirate.

Though a silly tale perfect for children (recommend ages 3-7), this well written tale is full of fantastic vocabulary encouraging use of a variety of words most children would not have found in other books for this age group. The images in this story are rich and colorful, the pirates aren't only boys, and the imagination is engaged throughout.

Highly recommend!

Fun story about a pirate who got confused at why the other pirates keep calling “ahoy there” until one day he found the hoys. Didnt expect that but its fun haha

The cutest pirate book! The illustrations are beautiful and cheery, my kids loved the story and laughed the whole way through. Definitely a must buy for any young pirate fan!

This is a very fun and silly book for any young child. This will particularly make any 3-6 year old burst into a fit of giggles. It's just a simple picture book to entertain children - it's not pushing any sort of message other than sometimes you need to go through a little trouble to find yourself.

This book made me laugh out loud! I love that the phrase “ahoy” has been turned into some tangible creature instead of just a phrase! The illustrations were fun and so was the story.

This is an adorable little children's book about a pirate who can't find "a hoy". Such a cute play on words. I found the illustrations were perfect and my kids wanted to stare at the pages long after the reading was done. My kids loved the artwork, words, and the story itself. Great for ages 3-7, boys or girls.

Highly recommend!

What a creative story! In this story, a pirate searches for a hoy (ahoy!) and eventually becomes a proper pirate. I enjoyed reading this one out loud as it introduces new words beyond our everyday vocabulary and wordplay. The illustrations were great as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a fun, colourful book about pirates and parrots and Hoys! Pirate Jake hears the other pirates shouting 'Ahoy!' but has never seen a hoy, so he sets off to find one. This is a lovely, funny adventure and one that children will enjoy joining in with.