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Pirates
Non-fiction
Ages 4-8
Pirates : Robbers of the high seas
by Gail Gibbons
A high-quality, nonfiction picture book with colorful
watercolors large enough to use in a story hour. The history of piracy
on the high seas from ancient times, to the Barbary coast in the 1300s,
to the buccaneers of the 1600s is told in a clear, readable style.
Questions young children might ask, such as "What was the Jolly Roger?"
and "What did the pirates do with their treasure?" are answered. A
picture glossary of famous pirates is appended and includes two women,
Anne Bonney and Mary Read.
From $3.56 or
request it free ...*
Ages 8-10
 Best
Book of Pirates
By Barnaby Harward
This slightly oversized introduction to piracy through
the ages begins with a definition and ends with a page on "Pirates of
today." In between are spreads on Caribbean and Barbary pirates, Chinese
pirate chiefs, female practitioners of the trade, buried treasure, and
more. Each topic is briefly covered in a paragraph of large-print text,
supplemented by detailed captions for the numerous drawings. The
colorful illustrations detail different pirate flags; a cross-section of
Captain Kidd's ship, the Adventure Galley; an assortment of weapons; and
plentiful scenes of pirates in action. This book will suit those
children whose reading ability lies somewhere between Gail Gibbons's
Pirates (Little, Brown, 1993) and Christopher Maynard's Pirates (DK,
1998). Both cover and content are sure to draw children to Harward's
title.
$6.95 or get it free ...*
Ages 9-12
 Pirates
by John Matthews
The dark,
jacketless cover of Matthews' Pirates, one of the most striking
covers in recent memory, features a mottled-white skull with a gleaming
gold tooth, a patch over one eye socket, and, in the other, a red
"jewel" imbedded in the hardcover boards. A browser's delight, this
introduction to seventeenth- and eighteenth-century pirates in the
Caribbean, printed on extra-heavy stock, offers plenty of information in
a colorfully illustrated, highly accessible format. Nearly every
double-page spread has a special feature: a facsimile of a document or
playing cards to be slipped out of envelopes, fold-out pages, small
books glued onto large pages. But even should some of these
less-permanent extras abandon ship, there's still plenty to interest
pirate fans, from the "Pirate Gallery" of short biographies to the
detailed illustration of the vessel Queen Anne's Revenge, its parts
carefully labeled. A time line, a glossary, and short lists of source
books and recommended Web sites round out the presentation.
$13.57
or get it free ...*
 Big
Book Of Pirates
by Chuck Tessaro , Anatoly
Slepkov
What a swashbuckling read! A dashingly illustrated
hardcover packed with facts and trivia, this comprehensive volume
explains it all, in thrilling detail: who the pirates of the past really
were, their countries of origin, their crews, life on their ships,
navigating the high seas, their weapons and methods of attack, and much
more. Read about the myths, meet some famous fictional and real-life
privateers, trace their routes on maps, shiver at accounts of their
fearsome progress through history, and learn about archaeological pirate
ship recoveries.
$9.95 or get it free ...*
Ages 12 and up
Caribbean
Pirates: A Treasure Chest of Fact, Fiction, and Folklore
by George Beahm
Is a pirate's life for you? Here's how to live the
life of a Caribbean pirate!
Think you know everything there is to know about pirates, do you? Well
me bucko, you've got a lot to learn, and here's where you can drink your
fill!
Recommended by Pat Croce (of Pirate Soul) and two leading pirate
magazines (No Quarter Given and Pyrates Way), Caribbean Pirates is an
engaging look at pirate history through the lens of the Disney film
franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean -- explaining fact from Hollywood
fiction. With art especially commissioned by former Disney Imagineer Tim
Kirk and 145 color photos, this book not only features over four dozen
essays about pirate life ("Were pirates really hung?" and "Were there
cannibals in the Caribbean?") but also a wealth of information on how to
talk, dress, and live like a pirate: drink your fill at festivals,
cruises, and museums with pirate exhibits. The book concludes with
recommended resources (books, movies, and websites). A "no holds barred"
look at the colorful cutthroats that cruised and plundered the
Caribbean!
$16.95 $13.22 or
request it for free ...*
Pirates - Fiction
Ages 4-8
 How
I Became a Pirate
by Melinda
Long (Author), David Shannon (Illustrator)
Young Jeremy Jacob is plucked from
obscurity while innocently constructing a sand castle and is thrust into
a brand-new life as a pirate. Captain Braid Beard and his crew recognize
Jeremy as an exceptionally talented digger and they happen to be in
desperate need of a digger to help them bury a treasure chest. Jeremy
thinks a pirate life sounds like fun, as long as he’s back the next day
in time for soccer practice, and so he goes along with the ragtag group
of seafaring thugs (with hearts of gold, naturally). And while Jeremy
adores the pirates’ lack of table manners and opposition to vegetables,
he comes to realize that a life away from his parents lacks some of the
niceties to which he’s become accustomed. Nobody tucks him in at night,
for instance, and the only book available to read is a treasure map.
Melinda Long’s story, narrated with a sense of boastful exaggeration by
Jeremy, is full of a sense of high adventure that's lovingly evocative
of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tales. David Shannon's
illustrations, full of a goofy vibrancy, are a perfect accompaniment to
the story.
$16.00
$10.88
or request it for free
Edward and the
Pirates
by David McPhail
Now that Edward from Santa's Book of Names has learned
how to read, he reads everything he can, from cereal boxes at breakfast
to storybooks at bedtime. Sometimes the stories that Edward reads seem
real, and once he even thinks he sees a dinosaur peeking into his
bedroom window.
Edward likes all kinds of books, but his favorites are adventure
stories. One night, when Edward falls fast asleep while reading a book
he borrowed from the library, he suddenly awakes to find his bed
surrounded by fierce pirates! What will Edward do?
Glorious paintings and a winsome text capture both the ordinary and
fantastic worlds of reading and the ability of one small boy to use his
imagination.
$16.99 $11.55
or request it for free
Ages 9-12
Jack
Jones and the Pirate Curse
by Judith Rossell
A popular Australian illustrator demonstrates that she
can also spin a good yarn. When young Jack Jones inherits the family
curse, the result of a long-ago betrayal by his ancestor Blackstrap
Morgan, his world becomes unstable: his schoolroom turns into a ship;
shop clerks and teachers become stalking pirates; and his socks are
transformed into tarantulas. Jack is terrified by the attacks, made
worse by the constant commentary of a talking parrot, Poll. No fighter,
Jack knows he will have to use his brain to outwit the revengeful
pirates, and, with a little luck, he does. Although somewhat
stereotypical, secondary characters add humor: Jack's father withdraws
to swim laps in the family pool day and night; taking a different tack,
Jack's mother calls in experts from Europe and tries to keep her son
isolated. Only Jack's friend Rachel is helpful in a fight. Middle-grade
readers will enjoy the dialogue, spiced with pirate slang.
Straightforward third-person narrative and fast-paced action make this a
good choice for the reluctant reader.
$15.95 $12.92
or request it for free
 The
Indoor Pirates
Ages 12+
 Treasure
Island
by
Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island is perhaps THE classic pirate's tale.
Robert Louis Stevenson, the author, created a rich story of adventure
and treachery on the high seas all seen through the eyes of a boy named
Jim Hawkins. Jim starts off as the son of tavern owners in a humble
little port village. When an old seaman stays at the tavern, trouble
soon follows him in the form of a pirate crew seeking revenge. I will
not give away any more specific plot points, but events move forward to
a great treasure hunt, treachery, and a surprisingly engaging story for
adults as well as children.
Jim Hawkins is the hero of the story and he's a good lad with a stout
heart. Long John Silver is the real star, however, and his character is
a fascinating character study in moral ambiguity... or perhaps a study
in amoral perfection. The pirate language is good and thick but this
edition has plenty of notes to help you decipher some of the references
that have become too obscure for today's readers. The plot moves along
very briskly with no wasted scenes.
In short, Treasure Island well deserves its status as a beloved classic.
It's a story of suspense and adventure that can be enjoyed at a child's
level, but has substance for adults as well.
$7.99 or request it for free
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The story of a boy who
becomes a caveman. Wonderfully animated with sound effects
and a self marking comprehension test at the end! You have
the option to have this story read to you with real audio!
(right off the web!) or learn to read difficult story words
before starting. It's all on the next page!
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 For many of us, the
real stress begins when a test actually starts. Here are ten
important ways to manage that stress and do your best on an exam:
Ten Terrific
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For
children, sight word
recognition is an
important step to
being able to
efficiently learn to
read. If they don’t
have to stop and
consider what each
word is, they will
have the freedom to
comprehend the
meaning and context
of sentences and
paragraphs.
Consequently, it’s
critical for
parents,
babysitters,
guardians,
grandparents and
educators to help
beginning readers
Reading
snippetsHave fifth graders each read a snippet over the
intercom each morning. One snippet is for PreK-2 and the other is 3-5.
It is a few sentences from a popular book, must include the main
character's name. Children can guess the title of the book. One winner
is chosen for each group per day. Rewards are either left over bookfair
books or a coupon to check out additional books.
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