PIRATES AREN'T AFRAID OF THE DARK!

Pirates may not fear the dark, but how do they feel about fairy-obsessed little siblings?

Jack’s entirely pleased when Mommy allows him to camp out in the backyard in his tent for the first time. Everything would be perfect if it weren’t for his annoying little sister, Lily, who insists on following him everywhere. When pirate-loving Jack informs fairy-loving Lily that no fairies are allowed in his tent, little does he realize that when the lights go out and you are all alone, sometimes even a little sister might be a comfort. Fortunately, she soon arrives decked out in full pirate-fairy gear, and later, so does Mommy, with cookies, cocoa and a nightlight. Edgson renders her furry bear heroes all fuzz and twinkling black eyes. There isn’t a sharp edge in sight, the wittiest element being the skull-and-crossbones endpapers with their one pink, witty aberration. As for the writing itself, the story will fit seamlessly into the annoying-little-sibling genre; the camping-in-the-backyard motif is a nice twist. Nonetheless, this is just picture-book comfort food for the toddler set.

Sweet and sugary and not much else.