To continue our monthly series of book lists for youth, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library would like to recommend the following titles.
April, 2008 - Pirates!
How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long. Jeremy is building a sand castle when a pirate ship arrives. He's invited to join the crew, but while he enjoys their adventurous life, he manages to get home in time for soccer practice. 1/16” font will be suitable for some Large Print readers. Grades P-2. Print/Braille book BR 15034.
Pirates: Robbers of the High Seas by Gail Gibbons. Describes, in simple text, the lives of pirates, the ships they sailed, and the kinds of treasure they tried to capture. Grades P-2. Cassette book CBA 6931.
Commander Toad and the Space Pirates by Jane Yolen. When Commander Salamander and his band of pirates capture the "Star Warts" spaceship, Commander Toad is forced to hop the plank. Easy reader. Grades K-3. Braille book BRW 709. Large Print book LP 21956.
Do Pirates Take Baths? by Betty and Kathy Tucker. How do you become a pirate? The answer to this and other questions about pirates are answered in humorous verse. Grades K-3. Cassette book RC 42655.
The Indoor Pirates by Jeremy Strong. Captain Blackpatch loves his ship, but actually hates the sea, so when he inherits 25 Dolphin street, he and a few of his pirate friends become landlubbers. Adjusting to their new life presents a lot of challenges. Grades 2-4. Large Print book LP 14036.
Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborne. Annie and her brother Jack are transported to the days of deserted islands, secret maps, hidden treasure, and nasty pirates. #4 in Magice Tree House Series. Grades 2-4. Braille book BR 14107. Cassette book RC 52357.
The Ballad of the Pirate Queens by Jane Yolen. A verse based on the true story of two female pirates, Anne Bonney and Mary Reade who attempt to defend their ship from government capture, even when the rest of the crew refuse to help. All of them are taken prisoner, but the two women have the last laugh. Grades 3-6. Cassette book RC 42175.
A Treasury of Pirate Stories edited by Tony Bradman. Thirteen stories about pirates by authors such as J. M. Barrie, Colin McNaughton, Pat Hutchins, Joan Aiken, Margaret Mahy, Arthur Ransome, and Robert Lewis Stevenson. Grades 3-6. Cassette book RC 50863.
Captain Butcher's Body by Scott Corbett. Two cousins confront the ghost of a long-dead villainous pirate on an island off the coast of New England. Grades 4-7. Cassette book RC 11831.
Mutiny! by Brad Strickland. In 1687, 11-year-old Davy sails to join his uncle in Jamaica where they join a British frigate, participate in a failed mutiny, commandeer another ship, and masquerade as pirates. #1 in Pirate Hunter series. Grades 4-7. Braille book BR 14999.
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson. In this prequel to J. M. Barrie's “Peter Pan” (RC 59430), Peter and four other orphan boys are on a ship that leaves England and is then shipwrecked. Their new friend, Molly, has a mysterious trunk that Captain Hook and his pirates are after. Grades 4-7. Cassette book RC 62169.
The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes. The English frigate on which Philip Marsham is training rescues 12 men from a sinking ship, but it turns out to have been a mistake when the rescued men murder the captain, seize the ship, and head for the pirate waters of the Caribbean . Newbery Award. Some violence. Grades 5-8. Braille book BR 8340. Cassette book RC 23407.
The Stowaway: A Tale of California Pirates by Kristiana Gregory. In 1818 California, Carlito's excitement at spotting a pirate ship soon turns to horror when they attack, and his father is murdered. He attempts to avenge his father by sabotaging their ship, but only succeeds in being captured and forced into service. Violence. Grades 5-8. Cassette book CBA 6932.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. In 1832, sailing home to her family in Rhode Island, 13-year-old Charlotte Doyle embarks on a seedy ship with a mad captain and a mutinous crew. Despite well-intentioned warnings, she makes the mistake of trusting the captain with dire consequences. Grades 5-8. Braille book BR 13299. Cassette book RC 33473. Large Print book LP 9654 or LP 17009.
Under the Black Flag by Erik Christian Haugaard. In 1716, William is sailing to school in England when his ship is seized by the pirate Blackbeard. After William befriends Sam, the young son and slave of another pirate captain, the two boys watch for a chance to escape. Some violence. Grades 5-8. Cassette book RC 40160.
Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship's Boy by L. A. Meyer. Orphan Mary Faber is used to the hard streets of London, so she sees the chance to disguise herself as a boy and join the crew of a British warship as a golden opportunity, even though the ship's mission is to stop pirate activity. Grades 6-9. Braille book BR 14624.
The Pirate's Son by Geraldine McCaughrean. In 1717, when penniless Nathaniel is expelled from school, he decides to sail to Madagascar with Tamo, the son of a pirate. Nathaniel's younger sister Maud tags along, so all three of them are in danger when Tamo's guardian decides to sell them to pirates. Grades 6-9 and older readers. Cassette book RC 48281.
Pirates! The True and Remarkable Adventures of Minerva Sharpe and Nancy Kington, Female Pirates by Celia Rees. In 1722, after sailing to her family's Jamaican plantation for an arranged marriage, 16-year-old Nancy Kington decides to escape her fate by running away with her slave friend, Minerva Sharpe. Their journey unexpectedly gets them involved with pirates and a whole new way of life for both of them. Grades 6-9 and older. Braille book BR 15430. Large Print book LP 20559.
Terror of the Spanish Main : Sir Henry Morgan and His Buccaneers by Albert Marrin. Describes the life and times of Henry Morgan, a self-made man who rose from a humble home in Wales to become a Knight and the lieutenant governor of Jamaica . During that part of his life, he plundered Spanish towns along the Central and South American mainland. Grades 6-9. Cassette book RC 48281.
Terry and the Pirates by Julian F. Thompson. Sixteen-year-old Terry stows away on a stolen yacht and ends up in the hands of an eccentric pirate family who hold him for ransom. Senior high readers. Braille book BR 13474. Cassette book RC 52022.
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Link to previous Recommended Reads.