Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime Piracy

Cindy Vallar, Editor & Reviewer
P.O. Box 425, Keller, TX  76244-0425

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Puzzle Pirates

Puzzle Pirates
By Susannah Leigh
Illustrated by Brenda Haw
EDC Publishing, 2006, ISBN 978-0-7945-1359-7, US $6.99

Joe attends pirate school, but his report card shows he needs more practice before he can earn his cutlass. His uncle, Buccaneer Bill, has just the solution. He’s found a treasure map and with Joe’s help, they can find the treasure and Joe can prove how much of a pirate he really is! It won’t be as easy as it sounds, though. Joe must first find his uncle’s ship, the Salty Seal, and then decide how best to come aboard. Then there’s the voyage itself with rocky reefs and other pirates intent on taking the treasure for themselves. Finally Deadly Isle, where the treasure resides, didn’t get that name for nothing! Only with your help can Joe and Buccaneer Bill succeed in this adventure.

This puzzle book will satisfy any young puzzler. It includes items to spot, mazes to navigate, ladders to climb, pirates to identify, maps to navigate, clues to defeat the pirate skeletons, and ropes to negotiate. The pages are filled with fun and games that will occupy young pirate apprentices when the ship is becalmed.

Book Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

Pirate Fun

Pirate Fun
By Emma Less
Illustrated by Steve Harpster
Sterling Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-1-4027-3804-3, US $5.95 / CAN $7.95

Pirate apprentices of three years and older who like to scribble will find this a delightful treasure. The pages are of pressed board and have sections that are blank. Readers use the six crayons that come with the book to color in the missing parts: the pirates’ ship, their clothes, the treasure, and the captain’s hideaway. At the very end of the book is a maze the pirate captain must navigate to reach the buried treasure. The wipe-off pages allow readers to explore the world of pirates over and over again.

Book Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

That’s Not My Pirate

That’s Not My Pirate
By Fiona Watt
Illustrated by Rachel Wells
EDC Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7945-1702-1, US $7.99

Written for babies and toddlers, this board book combines simple tactile concepts of rough, soft, silky, bumpy, glittery, and fluffy with basic elements of piracy, such as bandanas, hats, spyglasses, boats, eyepatches, cutlasses, and hooks. The touchy-feely sensations and simple, repetitive language guides the young reader to explore and repeat the words aloud. The colorful drawings invite them to look for the not-so-obvious treasures incorporated into the drawings. Great for reading aloud together to find out which is “my pirate.”

Book Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

On a Pirate Ship

On a Pirate Ship
By Sarah Courtauld
Illustrated by Benji Davies
EDC Publishing, June 2007, ISBN 978-0-7945-1702-1, US $9.99

What’s it like to sail on a pirate ship? Here’s your chance to find out! Set sail with the captain and his crew, but watch out for stormy seas. Keep a watchful eye for a treasure ship to plunder. Beware! Danger lurks – a pirate hunter is on your trail.

Aimed at young children just learning to read, this book introduces them to life at sea as a pirate. The large, colorful illustrations compliment the simple text. Danger is hinted at, but never overt. There are opportunities for readers to shout out warnings and “Aargh!” A great way to get a young pirate-in-training’s feet wet before launching into more adventurous tales.

Book Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

Pirate Jigsaw Book

Pirate Jigsaw Book
By Struan Reid
Illustrated by Peter Allen
EDC Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7945-1432-4, US $14.99

A pirate’s world is filled with both adventure and mundane tasks. Through the use of puzzles, search-and-find games, and colorful pictures, young readers learn about the life of a pirate. You begin your exploration with seeing how pirates lived on their ships. From there you experience the capture of a prize, marooning captives, hiding your treasure, spending your booty in a pirate town, and standing trial for piracy.

The left side of each two-page spread contains a jigsaw puzzle in a frame. The pieces come out easily and then readers reassemble the puzzle inside the frame. Underneath is a picture of the puzzle so that assemblers have a visual guide to reconstruct the ship, the island, the town, or the court room. The right page includes a brief paragraph about what the puzzle shows and the items readers must find in the puzzle.

Written for pirates-in-training who are older than 36 months, this book is constructed from pressed cardboard, so the puzzle pieces are sturdy and fit inside the book’s pages. Sometimes a puzzle piece is shaped to match something in a pirate’s life, such as a ship’s wheel, a parrot, or a cutlass, and all pieces are big enough for little hands to hold. The Pirate Jigsaw Book is a fun and educational way to learn about pirates. The illustrations are crammed with all sorts of little details that will keep young pirates searching for hidden treasure. It provides a well-rounded view of sea rogues without glamorizing them, but the cartoonish illustrations are entertaining.

Note: This book was originally published in the UK by Usborne Books.

Book Review Copyright ©2007 Cindy Vallar

Pirate Bob

Pirate Bob
by Kathryn Lasky
Illustrated by David Clark
Charlesbridge, 2006, ISBN 978-1-57091-595-6, US $15.95 / CAN $23.95

Beneath a rogue’s moon lies the Blackbird. Aboard this ship, Pirate Bob waits. His nose itches, a sure sign that gold is near. He, like his friend Yellow Jack (so named because of his pale lemon hue), loves treasure. When the lookout spies Concordia, the captain orders sails loosened and guns primed. Boarding the ship and gaining the gold are minor problems for Bob. What will he to do with his share of the gold? How can he trust the other pirates, including Yellow Jack, who crave the money as much as he does?

This story combines hopes and fears with dreams and friendships. As readers follow Bob’s adventures, they are introduced to the key concepts of piracy, from stealing treasure and chasing prey to boarding a ship and divvying the loot. The dangerous life a pirate leads is subtly woven into the tale. The colorful renderings of the action will ensnare readers much as pirates bait a trap. The facial expressions of the characters bring them to life. Pirate Bob is a great story for reading aloud or for keeping the treasure all to oneself.

Meet Kathryn Lasky

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Backbeard and the Birthday Suit

Backbeard and the Birthday Suit
by Matt McElligott
Walker and Company, 2006, ISBN 0-8027-8065-2, US $16.95

Imagine someone hairier and meaner than Blackbeard, a nasty pirate indeed. To make him even scarier, think of the stench of a garbage can. Who do you have? Backbeard! The hairiest pirate who ever lived!

Backbeard is captain of a motley crew aboard the Five O’Clock Shadow, where they celebrate in grand pirate fashion Backbeard’s birthday. After the party, though, Polly (Backbeard’s parrot) quits, and gazing in the mirror, Backbeard realizes he’s a mess.  So into town he strolls to Edwin’s Fine Fashions. The clerk doesn’t have any pirate clothes, but he improvises and comes up with an unbelievable new birthday suit for the captain. Upon his return to his ship, though, the crew fails to recognize him. Not only must Backbeard regain control of his ship and men, he also has to convince them he’s still the most-feared pirate sailing the five seas (two have yet to be discovered).

The tale itself is reminiscent of The Emperor’s New Clothes, but with pirates as characters and actually clothing everyone can see, even if they might need shades to do so. Backbeard’s crew has appropriate names for pirates: Sweaty McGhee, Mad Garlic Jack, Scarlet Doubloon. The pirate slang is present as well: hornswoggle, walk the plank, shiver me timbers, and more. In this tale, a rough tough pirate meets his softer side, which results in humorous situations. What makes this book shine are the colorful illustrations. Each one captures the reader’s eyes and compels you to explore the illustration in greater depth, looking for the nuances that are oftentimes missed with just a glance. This is a great book for reading aloud, and the pictures allow the children to tell the story even if they can’t read the words. From the front cover to the back cover, there are treasures to delight the eye.

 

Visit Matt McElligott
Learn More About Backbeard
(Making the Book, Pirate Radio, Projects and Lesson Plans)

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Shiver Me Letters

Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate A B C
by June Sobel
Illustrated by Henry Cole
Harcourt, 2006, ISBN 0-15-216732-3, US $16.00

This pirate captain and his animal crew are in desperate need of letters to make them tough!  So far they only possess “R” (think AARRRGH).  It’s just not enough. So off they sail to lands near and far snaring the needed letters until they get to “Z”, which gives them a bit of trouble.

Shiver Me Letters is great fun for reading aloud with young children just learning their alphabet. What makes this a special treasure is that it’s a pirate tale rather than just the usual A-B-C book. The text provides ample opportunity for reader participation, and little pirates will have fun seeking the letters along with the pirates since the artist incorporated them into his eye-captivating and colorful drawings. One or two of the letters require a keen eye to locate (not blatantly obviously to the casual seeker). The words are all associated with pirates and the sea, although “landlubber” will be foreign to most children. This is a perfect way to teach the alphabet while introducing your children to your secret passion – to be a pirate! It’s also a wonderful way for children and parents to spend quality time together.

Meet June Sobel

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Pirate Pup

by Caroline Stutson
Illustrations by Robert Rayevsky
Chronicle Books, 2005, ISBN 0-8118-4239-8 US $15.95

Captain Pup and his crew of pirates set sail aboard their ship, Rover. The voyage is a fair one – no bad weather, no cats – and they soon arrive on the shores where they’ve buried their treasure. On the return trip, however, not far from Barbados, their fortune takes a turn for the worse when the pirate-hunting cats attack. Who will be victorious in this sea battle? What happens to the pirates’ coveted treasure?

Geared toward young pirates, who haven’t learned to read or are just beginning to discover that magical world, this rhyming tale will engage them with repetitive phrases that allow them to participate in the voyage. A special treat for readers comes when the content of the treasure chest is unveiled.  Pirate Pup is ideal for reading aloud. The true treasure of this tale, however, is the artwork that accompanies the narrative. Robert Rayevsky masterfully depicts pirate life down to minute details, such as the face of playing cards or the illustration of a peg-leg pirate in one sea rover’s book. No matter how many times a child looks at the illustrations, he/she will discover something new. Although colorful, the pencil and watercolor pictures on coffee-stained paper have a subdued quality to them, which allows them to entertain without arousing children’s energy to inappropriate levels.

View an Inside Spread of Pirate Pup
Visit Robert Rayevsky

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs

by Giles Andreae
Illustrated by Russell Ayto
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2005, ISBN 1-4169-0713-0, $15.95

Flinn loves dinosaurs.  One day at school while drawing a picture of one, he runs out of markers. Miss Pie, his teacher, sends him to the closet to get what he needs. Instead of finding markers, he discovers a pirate captain whose ship has been stolen by pirates! Flinn volunteers to help Captain Stubble recover the Acorn, as do three of Flinn’s friends, who also love adventure. Just then, the back of the closet opens to reveal a battered old pirate ship waiting for them. Eventually, they catch up to the Acorn, but when Flinn peers through his telescope, he discovers the pirates aren’t your run-of-the-mill kind. No! They are pirate dinosaurs, and Tyrannosaurus Rex is their captain.

Dinosaurs are a favorite of young children, so I thought Flinn would be their captain. Instead, they are the villains in this story, as real pirates are. The story provides children with opportunities to participate in the telling, and the illustrations allow youngsters to tell the story themselves once they know what happens. This is a fanciful tale, one daydreamers will readily enjoy.

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

Pirate Girl

by Cornelia Funke
Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer
Scholastic, 2005, ISBN 0-439-71672-1 US $15.95 / CAN $21.99

Molly sets sail for her grandmother’s house. She’s not bothering anyone, just minding her own business. Captain Firebeard and the pirates of the Horrible Haddock don’t care. They rob and plunder all ships regardless of size and passengers. This time, though, they’ve taken on more than they can handle, for Molly may be small, but she’s feisty! She refuses to identify her parents and where they live. Instead, she shuts her mouth and does all the chores the pirates demand of her, all the while knowing that sooner or later, the pirates will rue the day they captured her.

This picture book is a delightful introduction to piracy for young children. There is no violence, but the pirates still come across as mean and nasty. What makes this particular book a rarity is that it is a story for girls! Not only is Molly one clever girl, but so is her rescuer, and never a more imposing woman has anyone met. An undercurrent of humor laces the story and illustrations, and children will cheer when “P…P…P…Pirates” attack the pirates!

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

A Pirate’s Life for Me!

By Julie Thompson & Brownie Macintosh
Illustrated by Patrick O’Brien
Charlesbridge, 1996, ISBN 0-88106-931-0, $6.95 US, $10.95 CAN
Book with cassette, ISBN 0-88106-835-7, $13.95 US

What do pirates do during the day? What do they wear or eat? What dangers do they face? How do they navigate their ship or capture another? How do they entertain themselves? Reminiscent of the series A Day in the Life of, this picture book answers these questions that young children often ask. When the story ends, the reader finds four short biographies about famous pirates: Mary Read and Anne Bonney, Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Black Bart. Two well-known fictional pirates, Captain Hook and Long John Silver, are also profiled.

For the most part, this is a historically accurate portrayal of pirates without the violence. Two exceptions are walking the plank and burying treasure, but these are myths often associated with pirates. The glossary provides easy-to-understand definitions for words young readers may not know. The colorful artwork compliments the story, and the faces of the pirates portray a wealth of emotions that enhance the reader’s experience. Those who look close will even find the authors in at least one picture.

A further treat is the cassette, which can be purchased with the book. On side one the authors narrate the book—a great way for children to follow along when no one’s available to read with them. The second side is a collection of eleven traditional and original maritime songs.  Some tunes are lively, while the repetition of words in others is perfect for singing along.

A Pirate’s Life for Me! is a great introduction to piracy that children and parents will enjoy reading aloud together.

Book Review Copyright ©2005 Cindy Vallar

Jean Laffite and the Big Ol' Whale

By Frank G. Fox
Pictures by Scott Cook
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003, ISBN 0-374-33669-5, $16.00

The baby comes from up river, but the people of New Orleans know nothing else about him. Thinking him an ordinary infant, the rivermen name him Jean Laffite. Within a short time, though, he proves them wrong. He favors chicory-flavored coffee to goat's milk. He learns to walk three days after his arrival, but prefers swimming. At the age of seven he swims up the Mississippi River, then floats back down to New Orleans, counting all the trees lining the riverbanks along the way. He soon acquires more knowledge about the Mighty Mississippi than anyone else, so when the river suddenly dries up, everyone seeks out Jean Laffite. He must discover the reason for the water's disappearance and devise a solution to the problem.

Jean Laffite and the Big Ol' Whale is an original tall tale based on a real person, who became a legend just as Davy Crockett did. Although he lived almost two centuries ago, we still have trouble discerning fact from fiction where he's concerned. Laffite was a master of deception through misinformation. Fox's character comes up with an ingenious solution to the problem of the whale. The author includes tidbits of truth through this whopper of a tale, reminiscent of the classics like Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill. At the very end of the book, Fox includes a brief explanation about the real Laffite.

The color paintings that depict the story have an abstract quality to them that complement the tallness of the tale. Viewers will want to lean in close to see if they missed any minute details.

This story of Jean Laffite, the gentleman pirate who became a hero of New Orleans during the War of 1812, has no pirates, ghosts, or buried treasure in it. Instead, it's a subtle story of friendship and helping others in need. Any collection that includes tall tales will want to add this one.

View pictures from the book

Book Review Copyright ©2003 Cindy Vallar

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