An appealing and non-stereotypical love story with a strong female main character and a pirate - making this book great for both girls and boys. The fierce little woman lived in a house at the end of a jetty. She knitted socks in blue and green wool, to sell to sailors who had got their feet wet. But when there were no ships at her jetty, she was quite alone. One stormy day, a pirate came to the house on the jetty. He stood on his toes, and starting tap-tap-tapping on the windowa 'Oh Julia! I'm in love with this book! Everything about it is utterly beautiful: the design, the colour, the characters...It has become such a romantic story. I think she has turned it into a classic that people will hug for generations. That pirate is gorgeous! There is such skill in the way she has moved emotions on the faces throughout the story, It starts off as a dark and lonely, windswept tale and then comes to life and warmth through love. Such a clever illustrator! It is going to be a treasure of a book.' - Joy Cowley