THE HORRENDOUS HULLABALOO

The illustrator of Mahy's 17 Kings and 42 Elephants (1987) joins the author for another ebullient story. Peregrine, a pirate, depends on an accommodating aunt who not only keeps his house but pours his rum and pets his parrot. Peregrine goes to parties but never invites his aunt ("You wouldn't enjoy pirate parties...The hullabaloo is horrendous!"). Undeterred, she mixes up a batch of "rumblebumpkins" and sends out invitations. Her friends don't come (it's a pirate's house, after all), but the parrots do, which attracts the neighbors; after a grand hullabaloo, his aunt leaves the mess to Peregrine and sails away on his ship with the parrots. The wordplay here is delightfully perky (lots of the words start with "p"); the subtext, also typical Mahy, is witty, wise, and a bit wicked. McCarthy's batikstyle, white-bordered art glows appropriately with the bright colors of the sea and of tropical birds. An entertaining tale, perfect for sharing. (Picture book. 4-8)