An alternate subtitle
of this book is “Incredible facts, maps & true
stories about life on the high seas,” and in this
claim the volume, geared toward older children who
can read and comprehend this complicated subject,
ably succeeds. It is stuffed full of pirate facts
and lore; it even includes a glossary and index.
Readers understand from the opening pages that this
is not just another dull recitation of facts. It
begins with a unique table of contents – one that is
predominantly colorful pictures with some text to
clarify what each chapter is about.
The first topic
explored is “Who Would Want to be a Pirate?” After
this short introductory question, there follows a
question-answer format with a boxed highlight. This
arrangement is followed throughout subsequent pages,
which cover each topic in two-page spreads of color
illustrations, blank spaces, and succinct paragraphs
pertaining to the explored subject.
Maps introduce each
region were piracy blossomed. The highlights denote
such things as treasure, attacks, battles, haunts,
ghost towns, and shipwrecks. The first map focuses
on the Mediterranean, since this is the region where
pirates first began their attacks. Within the topic
readers learn about Barbary corsairs, life as a
galley slave, and the switch from privateering to
piracy. Subsequent regions explore the Caribbean,
the Indian Ocean, and Asian waters. Each includes a
special focus page on a specific pirate: the
Barbarossa brothers, Blackbeard, Mary Read and Anne
Bonny, Bartholomew Roberts, and Zheng Shi. The
subject matter for each region essentially covers
who, what, when, where, and how. Also discussed are
universal topics such as ships, punishments, and
life at sea and stopovers on land.
American readers might
not understand one of the subheadings under “Who
Would Want to be a Pirate?” “Pirate Porkies” is
British slang for fat lies (or myths) about pirates,
such as walking the plank. The only drawbacks in an
otherwise entertaining, but realistic, romp through
history are the small font size and dark colored
words on dark pictures. This will be a problem for
children fascinated by pirates, but who have sight
challenges. More than once I resorted to using a
magnifying glass with a light to read the text, and
I have good eyesight. There are a few questionable
statements, but only a true pirate aficionado would
recognize these missteps and they do not detract
from the overall introductory nature to pirate
history.
Reminiscent of a
scavenger hunt, Pirates is a fun-filled
exploration of pirates throughout history in
sixty-four pages. Yet neither the author nor the
illustrator portrays pirates as romantic heroes.
Perhaps one of this book’s strengths is that it
introduces pirates often excluded from or glossed
over in children books. One example is the Wokou.
Readers young and old will find interesting tidbits
that cover the whole of piracy from the
Mediterranean to the Far East.
*One
additional note: This is the paperback edition of
Pirates: Dead Men’s Tales (2018), so those
who have read that book won’t find anything new in
this volume.
Pirates and
Privateers
