The Fierce Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate

Joy Cowley (author)

Sarah Davis (illustrations)

Gecko Press, NZ: 2010

ISBN: 9781877467417

Genres: humour, picture book

Issues: independence, stereotypes

‘The fierce little woman lived in a house at the end of a jetty. She knitted socks in blue and green wool, to sell to sailors who got their feet wet.'

Not only does she knit socks, she also plays the bagpipe to the seagulls. In winter she runs a fishing line through the trapdoor in her floor and in summer she uses it to go for a swim under the house. The fierce little woman is so fierce that she's not even afraid of the wicked pirate who comes scratching at her window one dark night, threatening to break in. In fact she threatens to whack him with her knitting needles! But is the pirate as wicked as he seems? And is the fierce little woman really as fearsome?

Joy Crowley is an extremely talented and prolific NZ writer who has crafted some wonderful, whimsical narratives, including such gems as The Duck in the Gun. She has a gift for story - and for strong-minded, sometimes eccentric characters that capture the imagination of the reader. In The Fierce Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate, Crowley challenges the stereotype of the independent woman - as well as that of the wicked pirate - in lively, evocative prose.

Sarah Davis' illustrations are essential to the text and her skill at creating powerful personalities is quite remarkable. The range of facial expressions Davis manages to capture is astonishing, adding nuances of her own to Crowley's characterisations. The energy that pours off the vibrant illustrations carries the story well beyond the page, evoking the fierce little woman's love of the sea and solitude, her pride and determination, her strength and her sensitivity. Readers will laugh out loud at the images of the fierce little woman intimidating the (very tall) wicked pirate. See more of Davis' beautiful work here.

An absolutely delightful picture book, this is a story to be read again and again. And again. (Be warned!)