Pirate Books -- Kid Lit

Pirate Book Reviews! These are samples of books I am making available to the kids in my March Break program.

Series Information
Allison Lassieur and Liam O'Donnell. The Real World of Pirates. Mankato, Minnesota: Edge Books, 2007.

My Review
Take a trip back to the Golden Age of Piracy and learn about what it took to become a pirate back in the 1700s. From pirate gear to pirate treasure, this series of short books describes pirate life using clear vocabulary and vivid illustrations. In addition, each book is sprinkled with trivia facts about pirates. Did you know that Blackbeard wove hemp into his hair and lit it on fire to frighten his enemy? Great for nonfiction-loving reluctant readers.

Book Titles

The History of Pirates: From Pirateers to Outlaws
The Pirate Code: Life of a Pirate
Pirate Gear: Cannons, Swords and the Jolly Roger
Pirate Hideouts: Secret Spots and Shelters
Pirate Ships: Sailing the High Seas
Pirate Treasure: Stolen Riches

Book Information
Lock, Deborah. Pirate. DK Publishing, 2005.

My Review
In the tradition of DK books, opening this book is like having a museum in print format. It's filled with pirate information in bite-sized facts, with many informative photographs of pirate artefacts.


Book Information
Havercroft, Elizabeth. A Year On a Pirate Ship.  Minneapolis, MN: Orpheus Books Ltd, 2008.

My Review
This book discusses pirates in more of a story format, with some "Where's Waldo?" style item-finding throughout the book. Not a book to work with if you need solid facts, like dates and/or names.

Upcoming Pirate Blog Posts

If you love the action of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and can't wait for the next film to come out, then check out the next few blog posts. During March Break, I am teaching a full-day program on pirates and lost treasures for my local museum. In my quest to become a pirate-ology expert, I am reading several brief books on pirates. Interested in learning about any of my pirate activities? I will post a list of activities with comments, and a handy list of resources at the end of March Break.

Peril on the Sea

Book Information
Cadnum, Michael. Peril on the Sea. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009.

My Summary and Review
In the tradition of Pirates of the Caribbean, Peril on the Sea is a thoughtful but thrilling action/romance novel set in 1588 on the high Seas. Sherwin is a young writer/shiphand on board the "Vixen" under the notorious privateer (legal pirate) Captain Fletcher. War with the Spanish Armada looms in the distant future, though Captain Fletcher does not plan on fighting any battles. The story quickly changes after young Katherine joins the crew to safeguard a shady deal between Captain Fletcher and her father, also a captain. A small romance blooms between Sherwin and Katherine, while a Spanish warship appears, and the "Vixen" is now in dangerous waters.

This is a fast-paced read from Michael Cadnum, who was a National Book Award Finalist in 2000. Peril at Sea will be enjoyed by young adults who have a taste for history and/or romance. Sherwin is a believable idealist writer/sailor who is exposed to underhanded dealings of privateers, yet who manages to keep his morals straight. Katherine is a strong female character who knows how to drive a hard bargain. Through Captain Fletcher, Michael Cadnum has created an unreliable character of mixed allegiances. This book also has informative historical references to notable English pirates/privateers and to life on the sea long ago that fit well into developing the plot.