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Jack Plank Tells Tales Audiobook
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(3.10) - 236 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Yes, Jack Plank started out to be a pirate. His shipmates all liked him, and their ship, the Avarice, was certainly very beautiful. But after a while it was clear that he wasn’t much good at plundering. He just didn’t have the knack for it. So what to do? Jack did the only thing he could do—he went ashore to look for another line of work. The town was called Salt-wash, on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, and he had a lot of helpful advice from the people in Mrs. DelFresno’s boardinghouse. Somehow, though, each career he looked into seemed to have something wrong with it. And every night at dinner in the boardinghouse he tried to explain why. For who would want to work where there might be a troll, or the danger of getting a crab caught in your beard? Or what about a music-loving crocodile? There were other things, too, that ran against every suggestion and took the wind out of his sails. At last, Jack decided he wouldn’t be good at anything onshore and would have to go back to sea, pirate or not. But sometimes, as you probably know already, things work out very nicely when you least expect it.
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"Hard to be disappointed by Babbitt and her gift for deep notions told with simplicity. Jack Plank Tells Tales is a good, solid read-aloud with plenty of discussion points initiated by the cast of characters who listen daily to Jack's tales as they sit down for supper together. A cozy book with a happy ending tied up neatly."
— Martha (4 out of 5 stars)
Jack Plank Tells Tales Listener Reviews
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" episodic tales told by an ex-pirate. this one would make a good 3rd grade read-aloud. "
— Karin, 2/13/2014 -
" Wonderful read aloud! Endearing, entertaining, short chapters. "
— Margie, 2/12/2014 -
" Creative and fun. "
— Michelle, 2/12/2014 -
" I really like everything I have read by this author. "
— Angie, 2/6/2014 -
" It was a good book not one of my favorites but still good While jack is searching for work , i think he learns a valuable lesson. TO find out you'll have to read this book:) "
— Ginny, 1/26/2014 -
" Jack Plank is a displaced pirate. He has a knack for telling tales that include a man that turns into an octopus, mermaids, molasses cake, a girl raised by seagulls, gold treasure, a crab in a beard, a mummy hand, trolls, and a crocodile with a soft spot for the flute. "
— Catie, 1/18/2014 -
" We really liked this book. It has a clever internal structure. Jack gets fired from being a pirate and each subsequent chapter is "Not a Baker" or "Not a Fortune Teller" and his story of why he can't do that job. Highly enjoyable and easy to read aloud in more than one sitting. "
— Jeri, 1/14/2014 -
" I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
— Michael, 1/10/2014 -
" Not Tuck - but adequate storytelling. Tales seemed too obvious. "
— Hapzydeco, 12/14/2013 -
" MCL. I like the stories that Jack told. "
— Nora, 12/8/2013 -
" Very simple stories - they are engaging but are missing some of the cleverness/inventiveness of her other short story collections. "
— Anne, 11/18/2013 -
" My kids, age 7 and 10, loved listening to this short audiobook. "
— Lauren, 11/14/2013 -
" I picked this book because I love Natalie Babbitt as an author. It was fun to read and very short. The kids liked it because of the unusual and comedic stories Jack Plank tells. It made me laugh out loud over and over. "
— Jennifer, 11/12/2013 -
" Listened to the audio book version and enjoyed it very much. The voice acting was not over done and did not distract from the story as it sometimes can. A fun mix of stories told by the most agreeable pirate I've ever heard of. Whould be good for family listening or reading aloud. "
— Tim, 9/14/2013 -
" Very fun and very encouraging. The kids had fun coming up with their own stories after reading about Jack. "
— Kristen, 9/1/2013 -
" This is a sweet little book, and would be an excellent choice for reading aloud to smallish children. "
— Joanna, 7/28/2013 -
" I like all the tales that Jack tells, especially the Crocodile story. "
— Ssarutian, 5/31/2013 -
" Jack is an all-around lovable pirate looking for a new profession. Natalie Babbie gives us a series of rollicking tales from a bygone time that ring true and feel authentic. This is one of those books that is new but feels classic. A good read, and an especially good listen. "
— Chrissy, 5/29/2013 -
" Maybe life is not about finding a job but what you are is you and dig deep to find it "
— Cameron, 2/5/2013 -
" Perfectly nice, classroom-readable tales of a former pirate looking for a new career. Full of Babbitt's classic wry humor and amazingly strange storytelling. "
— Debrarian, 12/30/2012 -
" Excellent tall-tales with a pirate flavor. "
— Laura, 8/26/2012 -
" Very entertaining. Liked the structure. "
— Julie, 5/6/2012 -
" Very cute. The illustrations were charming, too. Babbitt never fails to entertain, even when the work isn't as important as Tuck Everlasting or as provocative as The Devil's Storybook. "
— Cheryl, 4/6/2012 -
" This is a cute book, great read aloud for kids in elementary school. Jack Plank is a retired pirate trying to find a job. His efforts lead him into telling stories of his days as a plundering pirate. "
— Bev, 3/25/2012 -
" my review is on my blog here. "
— Jessica, 11/11/2011 -
" I found this book rather boring. "
— Bonny, 10/16/2011 -
" My 10-year-old and I both thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining read. Jack Plank, a "retired" pirate, tries to find a new career, but tells his fellow boarding house renters tales about why no career is a good fit for him. "
— Susan, 7/3/2011 -
" I like all the tales that Jack tells, especially the Crocodile story. "
— Ssarutian, 5/23/2011 -
" Excellent tall-tales with a pirate flavor. "
— Laura, 8/16/2010 -
" Very fun and very encouraging. The kids had fun coming up with their own stories after reading about Jack. "
— Kristen, 3/15/2010 -
" I picked this book because I love Natalie Babbitt as an author. It was fun to read and very short. The kids liked it because of the unusual and comedic stories Jack Plank tells. It made me laugh out loud over and over. "
— Jennifer, 11/17/2009 -
" Not Tuck - but adequate storytelling. Tales seemed too obvious. "
— Hapzydeco, 10/30/2009 -
" It was a good book not one of my favorites but still good While jack is searching for work , i think he learns a valuable lesson. TO find out you'll have to read this book:) "
— Ginny, 5/29/2009 -
" I want this book on my shelves for future grandchildren to read! It is a classic that can be read quickly or enjoyed one chapter at a time. It kept the attention of a 9 yr old girl and a 12 yr old boy. "
— Liz, 9/20/2008
About Natalie Babbitt
Natalie Babbitt, who started as an illustrator, is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for the children’s books she has written.
About John H. Mayer
John H. Mayer, author and Earphones Award–winning narrator, is a character actor whose voice has been heard on numerous commercials, animated programs, audiobooks, and narrations including E! Entertainment’s Celebrity Profiles. He was a five-year member of the Groundlings comedy theater company in Los Angeles. He is also the co-author of Radio Rocket Boy, an award-winning short film.