Pirates

Alison Mews is co-ordinator of the Centre for Instructional Services at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

At the outset of this look at the exciting world of thieving seamen, the
authors acknowledge that pirates were cruel and murderous individuals
who were punished for their crimes. However, they go on to state that
nowadays people “prefer to think of the fun things pirates did and the
adventures they had,” thus setting the tone for this profusely
illustrated book.

Each of the book’s two-page chapters focuses on a different topic
related to pirates. Young children will learn about the symbols on
pirate flags and treasure maps, and be introduced to the clothing,
weaponry, and language of pirates. Also included are descriptions of
nine infamous pirates (including two women) and a profile of a typical
crew. The color photographs are appealing and serve to elucidate the
text. The book concludes with activities that children can do without
adult supervision.

This attention-grabbing book would be an excellent starting point for a
primary unit on pirates. Highly recommended.