David McPhail--award-winning author and illustrator of more than 40 books, including Santa's Book of Names--has created another delightful book about Edward, a voracious reader of anything he can get his hands on, even seed catalogs in a pinch. One night, while reading a book about pirates, Edward finds himself surrounded by the salty sailors who think his book might tell them where their treasure is buried. They beg, threaten, and bribe him to no avail, but when Edward's father scares the pirates with a shower of arrows, Edward feels sorry for them and relinquishes the book. As it turns out, the pirates can't read, so Edward reads the book aloud to them. Kids will love the big, dramatic paintings (moody acrylics on canvas) and the rollicking story of how, with a little imagination, a book can come to life. (Ages 4 to 8)