8 /10 1 Votes
Cover artist Riddell Language English Pages 64 pp Genre Picture book Awards Kate Greenaway Medal | 4/5 Goodreads Country United Kingdom Publication date 8 October 2001 Originally published 8 October 2001 Illustrator Chris Riddell Publisher Walker Books | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Series Diary books by Platt and two illustrators Similar Chris Riddell books, Kate Greenaway Medal winners, Children's literature | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter is an account of the pirate life cast as the journal of a young cabin boy, written by Richard Platt and illustrated by Chris Riddell. It was published by Walker in 2001, two years after Castle Diary, also by Platt and Riddell. Platt continued the "Diary" series with illustrator David Parkins.
Pirate Diary won the annual Kate Greenaway Medal from the professional librarians, recognising the year's best-illustrated children's book published in the U.K. (Riddell), and the Blue Peter Book Award, Best Book with Facts. It was also silver runner up for the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in ages category 6–8 years.
The Greenaway press release celebrated Pirate Diary as an "exciting information book for children from 8 to 14" and the first "information book" to win the illustration Medal since 1975, and called it "a fictionalised account" (quoting CILIP). "[W]hen he spoke with author Richard Platt the harsh necessities of historical accuracy came into play. 'Everything I got excited about got shot down. No parrots, eye-patches or wooden legs. Thank god there were weapons and amputations!'" (quoting Riddell).
Diary series
The Diary series comprises four 64-page picture books that publisher Walker Books labels "Non-Fiction". Author Platt calls them fictional first-person journals (see diary) and calls Castle Diary "my first attempt at fiction".
Castle Diary was a highly commended runner up for the Greenaway Medal, recognising Riddell's illustration.
PZ7.P71295 Cas 1999 http://lccn.loc.gov/98042779 Castle Diary in libraries (WorldCat catalog) (first US)Platt won the Blue Peter Award, Best Book with Facts, and Riddell won the Greenaway Medal for illustration.
PZ7.P71295 Pi 2001 http://lccn.loc.gov/00065198 Pirate Diary in libraries (WorldCat catalog) (first US)Walker re-issued all four books March 2011 in a matching set with anonymous subtitles, classified as "Non-Fiction", and recommended for readers age 7 and up.