A Discovery That Became Pure Inspiration
Teaching creative dance to kindergarten children opens up endless opportunities for imagination and play. While searching for beloved children’s books, I deliberately discovered this one — tucked among the shelves of a Finnish library — not just looking for fairy tales, but for stories filled with true adventure. As I teach dance in kindergartens, I wanted to dive deeper into the children’s world, to speak their language: a language of fantasy, play, illustrated stories, and imaginary heroes.
Mauri Kunnas — Pirate Stories became that door for me. It’s not just a tale about pirates — it’s a vivid visual and emotional world, where every illustration breathes history. The ships, landscapes, weapons, and everyday objects are drawn with such care and realism that the book becomes a portrait of an era. The legendary Hispaniola, in particular, looks as if it sailed straight out of Jules Verne’s pages.
This book is one of the most beautiful and realistic ever created for children. Mauri Kunnas doesn’t just capture the pirate spirit in expressive language — he brings the whole narrative to life through his illustrations. The author proudly emphasizes the accuracy of his visual depictions, especially when compared to stylized, simplified drawings like those in Disney-style stories. These illustrations aren’t just decorative — they’re visual records, made with reverence for history.
Inspired by Howard Pyle’s classic art, Kunnas designs each page with richness, charm, and detail — perfect for the curious eyes of young readers discovering the world. It’s art that feeds the imagination.
Kunnas adapts legendary pirate tales, including Treasure Island — preserving the structure of the original novel, while turning the characters into animals, and remaining faithful to the atmosphere, spirit, and historical accuracy of the story.
When Lessons Become Adventures
Last summer, I reread Treasure Island to spark ideas for a themed creative dance lesson in kindergarten — “Pirates.” I always strive to make each class unique, with its own rhythm and storyline. And now, with new groups of children, I felt the urge to revive that adventurous spirit and imagination, to breathe life back into my previous choreography.
Mauri Kunnas — Pirate Stories became a flash of inspiration for me — vivid, visual, and rich in detail. It didn’t just offer ideas; it reignited my inner energy. Without that spark, old lessons lose their vitality. And for me, that matters deeply.
Children sense an adult’s engagement — not just mentally, but physically. Sometimes I feel they don’t grasp everything literally, but they energetically check whether I’m truly immersed. And when I’m glowing with enthusiasm — they join in, even if they were momentarily distracted. With inspiration, the lesson begins to sing again.
When books become Part of the lesson
I often use story-based themes in my classes: Pippi Longstocking, Robin Hood, Winnie the Pooh… When I read — I become a child myself. I feel inspired, immersed, alive. It helps me be with children right in the moment — grounded and connected, as they say.
The more I work with children, the more I read. The more I read, the richer my classes become.
Books give me a shared language with children. Together we dream, play, dance, create. We don’t pretend to be heroes — we become them.
This book is simply another beautiful find. And like every such discovery, it gently reminds me why I love what I do. In the world of childhood, the truest treasures are the stories that stay with us.
