"Mum and Dad are going out for the evening and have booked a babysitter for a little boy and his sister, yet when the babysitter arrives, it turns out to be a huge, bearded pirate called Long John McRon – a ship’s cook. As soon as Mum and Dad have left, a horde of other pirates arrive and decide to make a cauldron-full of something called Pirate Stew - a heady mix of mermaids’ tears, haddock, onions, limes and parrot seeds among other more dubious ingredients - for the children’s dinner. However, if the children eat the pirate stew they know it will turn them into pirates, so they carefully push their bowls away. But will Mum and Dad be as wise when they return from their night out still a little bit hungry? Featuring a flying pirate ship, a delicious donut shop and a rollicking rhyme by Neil Gaiman (which is best read aloud for full pirate effect), Pirate Stew is a great book for storytime with brilliant illustration (featuring a mixed race family) by former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell. "--