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I was recently sent a complimentary copy of “Princess Pirates” written by D.K. Ackerman and illustrated by Polina Klimenko, and our family has loved it.

Read on for my review and a story summary!


Princess pirates book

In our household, we have a 3-year-old daughter with an affinity for dresses, sparkles, and all things pink. Despite being quite the “girly girl”, she is also the most rough and tumble kid you’ve ever met. She runs fast, she climbs high, and she jumps in any puddle she finds. This girl also loves imaginary play, whether it be with dolls or dinosaurs.

We also have a 2-year-old son with a passion for turning any household item into a weapon. A boy who adores his sister and loves to wear her princess gowns when they play. A boy who can hit a baseball as if he is spring-loaded, and can rock his baby doll with the softest touch.

Our two kiddos have so much more to them than “girl” and “boy”. They are unique people with unique personalities, and they are at an age where they are absorbing everything they see and hear.

And that’s why our family loves the children’s book “Princess Pirates”.

D.K. Ackerman wrote this story because she was tired of seeing all the books geared for girls telling only stories of beauty, grace, tenderness, and culturally feminine activities. She felt these tales lacked the whole picture — that a girl can do anything a boy can, even in their imaginary play. So she created this story to fill the void.

We love that the story D.K. created is one of the classic girl doing something classically associated with boys – playing pirates.

In this book, three girls dressed like princesses hear a sound that launches them into an imaginary world of seeking out treasure held captive by an enchantress.

The girls work together as a team, each playing a key role in achieving their goal. They board their cardboard box pirate ship, with one girl claiming her role as captain, another as first mate, and the last as navigator. They trudge through a tree-lined jungle, traipse through vines, problem-solve how to cross a lava river, fight off tigers, and oblige the request of the enchantress to earn their treasure.

The story is fun, light-hearted, and adventurous, and both our kiddos ask for it often. The illustrator Polina Klimenko very creatively paints the picture of the girls’ imagination and reality interplaying with each other. Her visual artistry allows the reader to be immersed in the imaginary treasure hunt along with the princess pirates.

‘X’ marks the spot with this treasure of a book! Our family gives “Princess Pirates” two thumbs up!

You can find the book on Amazon Kindle here, and at the links below!

Website: www.dkackerman.com 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dkackerman_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/D-K-Ackerman-370618233734276/


Check out our other children’s book reviews!

“Thank you Body, Thank you Heart” by Jennifer Cohen Harper

“The Lovely Haze of Baby Days” by Lindsay Kellar-Madsen

Christina Furnival

Christina is a mom to two wild and wonderful kiddos, a licensed psychotherapist (LPCC), the founder of her website ChristinaFurnival.com and therapeutic motherhood blog Real Life Mama, and a children's book author of a social/emotional wellbeing series, Capable Kiddos! She and her Scottish husband are raising their family in San Diego, where they love to hike, play soccer, cook, walk around the lake, and go to the beach.

33 thoughts on “A Book Review: ‘X’ Marks the Spot for Children’s Book “Princess Pirates” by D.K. Ackerman”

  1. Ooh. Seems like i should get this book for my daughter too. she’S pink and girlh stuff but she also Enjoys roughing it out with her two older brothers!

  2. I have so many good memories reading books with my kids when they were young. This book definitely looks like one we would have loved! Love the photo of your daughter with the book. It’s incredibly precious!

  3. I remember being young (yes I was young once..lol) and we were socialized to gender norms (girls play with dolls, boys play with balls),,, This sounds like a great book to break those norms and allow kids to be kids. Thanks for sharing.

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