Children's book by Richard Platt
Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter is an account of the pirate life cast as the journal of a young cabin boy, written by Richard Platt and illustrated by Chris Riddell. It was published by Walker Books in 2001, two years after "Castle Diary", also by Platt and Riddell. Platt continued the "Diary" series with illustrator David Parkins.
"Pirate Diary" received the annual Kate Greenaway Medal from the professional librarians, recognising the year's best-illustrated children's book published in the U.K. (Riddell),
and the Blue Peter Book Award, Best Book with Facts.
It was also silver runner up for the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in ages category 6–8 years.
The Greenaway press release celebrated "Pirate Diary" as an "exciting information book for children from 8 to 14" and the first "information book" to win the illustration Medal since 1975, and called it "a fictionalised account" (quoting CILIP). "[W]hen he spoke with author Richard Platt the harsh necessities of historical accuracy came into play. 'Everything I got excited about got shot down. No parrots, eye-patches or wooden legs. Thank god there were weapons and amputations!'" (quoting Riddell).
Diary series.
The Diary series comprises four 64-page picture books that publisher Walker Books labels "Non-Fiction". Author Platt calls them fictional first-person journals (see diary) and calls "Castle Diary" "my first attempt at fiction".
 subtitle "Journal of a Young Page" in the 2011 paperback set
 a boy who goes to work in a castle as a page
"Castle Diary" was a highly commended runner up for the Greenaway Medal, recognising Riddell's illustration.
 PZ7.P71295 Cas 1999 [URL]
 Castle Diary in libraries (WorldCat catalog) (first US)
 subtitle "Journal of a Cabin Boy" in the 2011 paperback set
 an apprentice sailor, impressed by pirates as a cabin boy
Platt won the Blue Peter Award, Best Book with Facts, and Riddell won the Greenaway Medal for illustration.
 PZ7.P71295 Pi 2001 [URL]
 Pirate Diary in libraries (WorldCat catalog) (first US)
 subtitle "Journal of a Young Scribe" in the 2011 paperback set
 the third first-person journal, a whodunit featuring corruption and robbery
 PZ7.P71295 Eg 2005 [URL]
 Egyptian Diary in libraries (WorldCat catalog) (first US)
 subtitle "Journal of a Young Slave" in the 2011 paperback set
 a Greek girl taken by pirates for sold in Rome; "fourth and final book in the Diary series"
 PZ7.P71295 Rom 2009 [URL]
 Roman Diary in libraries (WorldCat catalog) (first US)
Walker re-issued all four books March 2011 in a matching set with anonymous subtitles, classified as "Non-Fiction", and recommended for readers age 7 and up.
References.
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