Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent

by Bill Peet (Author, Illustrator)

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Cyrus, a shy and friendly serpent, finally realizes his ambition by heroically helping some voyagers through a storm and foiling some dastardly pirates.

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Member Reviews

6 reviews
I think Peet is a special author. I'm glad to know he has so many fans. Somehow, though, they just never wow me, personally. Imo, the thing that I noticed and appreciated most about this one was the vocabulary. I love authors who don't talk down to children.
2023 - 1970’s Immersion Reading Challenge

Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent by Bill Peet (1975) 46 pages.

READING LEVEL: 4.6 AR POINTS: 0.5

What kid wouldn’t enjoy a sweet little sea serpent adventure story?

After being called a sissy by a shark, Cyrus decides to prove him wrong and makes plans to sink a ship and have a little fun with the passengers. But, when a ship full of poor people seeking their fortune come upon a few troubles at sea, Cyrus takes heart and decides to save them and even helps to fulfill their journey.
Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent is a modern fantasy about a serpent who likes to lay around and be kind. However, his feelings are hurt when a shark tells him he's a wimp and he needs to be meaner. Cyrus sets of to sink a ship and prove he is fierce. However, as the boat is taking off someone yells after the ship saying they will never make it to their destination. Cyrus decides that he needs to be the one who follows the ship to assure their safe arrival. As he follows the ship they run into various problems, all of which Cyrus uses his helping personality to save the day. The boat arrives safely at it's destination and Cyrus realizes he doesn't need to be mean, being nice is better. (my full review is on Educreation)
A giant sea serpent named Cyrus wonders around the sea with no idea what to do. He went searching for something fun and exciting to do. Cyrus met a shark, who challenges him to go wreck a ship and eat the passengers. Cyrus then decides to venture out to look for a ship to wreck, he waits patiently under a dock. He over hears a man tell the people getting onto the ship that bad things will happen while they are at sea and that they will never make it. Cyrus feels sorry for the people so he decides that he will help and protect them when they go out to sea. The adventure soon begins when the ship is caught in the sea where the wind is no longer blowing, and just when the passengers on the ship think they are out of trouble, pirates show show more up. Cyrus crashes the pirate's ship and helps them sail away. Just when all is well, a huge storm blows the ship, Cyrus races to save them and bring them to land.

This is a wonderful book filled with charming and fun illustrations. A book that should be every child's bookshelf! Classroom extension; have students draw and create their very own mythical sea creature and then have them label the map with a legend using symbols to represent the important event that occurred at each location.
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Author Information

Picture of author.
Illustrator
51+ Works 17,929 Members
Bill Peet was born William Bartlett Peed on January 29, 1915 in Grandview, Indiana. He graduated from the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis. In 1937, he began his artistic career at Walt Disney Studios. While there, he worked on several feature films including Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, Song of the South, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter show more Pan. He was both an artist and the screenwriter for several films including Cinderella, 101 Dalmatians, and Sword in the Stone. While working at Disney, he also wrote his own children's books and eventually left to become a full-time writer. His first book, Hubert's Hair-Raising Adventure, was published in 1955. During his lifetime, he wrote and illustrated 35 children's books including The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg; The Whingdingdilly; Chester the Worldly Pig; and Luckiest One of All. His book, Bill Peet: An Autobiography, was named a Caldecott Honor Book in 1989. He died on May 11, 2002 at the age of 87. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title
Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
Original publication date
1975

Classifications

Genres
Children's Books, Picture Books
DDC/MDS
581Natural sciences & mathematicsPlants (Botany)Specific topics in natural history of plants
LCC
PZ7 .P353 .CLanguage and LiteratureFiction and juvenile belles lettresFiction and juvenile belles lettresJuvenile belles lettres
BISAC

Statistics

Members
762
Popularity
36,619
Reviews
5
Rating
(4.09)
Languages
English
Media
Paper, Audiobook
ISBNs
9
UPCs
3
ASINs
3