Lives of the Pirates: Swashbucklers, Scoundrels (Neighbors Beware!)

by Kathleen Krull, Kathryn Hewitt (Illustrator)

Overview

Every kid knows that pirates talk funny, swing a big sword, and seek buried treasure—don’t they? What do we really know about Blackbeard, Madame Cheng, Sir Francis Drake, and other men and women of pirate history? What drove them to sail the high seas? What were their bad habits, favorite foods, and silly quirks? And did they actually talk like that?

     A lively style, lots of surprises, and solid research have made the Lives of . . . series of collective biographies popular with both kids and adults. Now the series returns, spanning the globe with profiles of the nineteen most notorious pirates in history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547487939
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	08/15/2017
Series:	Lives of . . .
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
Lexile:	NC1120L (what's this?)
File size:	111 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kathleen Krull is well known for her innovative, award-winning nonfiction for young people, including Lives of the Explorers, Lives of the Musicians, and all other books in this popular series illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt. She is also the author of Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, illustrated by Yuyi Morales, as well as The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny) and Lincoln Tells a Joke: How Laughter Saved the President (and the Country), both co-written with Paul Brewer and illustrated by Stacy Innerst. She lives in San Diego, California. Visit her online at kathleenkrull.com. 
Kathryn Hewitt's caricatures of famous figures led kids to dub the Lives of . . . series the "Big Head" books. She has illustrated many books for young readers, some of which she also wrote. She lives in Santa Monica, California. Visit her website at www.kathrynhewitt.com.

Editorial Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE LIVES OF SERIES: * "Living, breathing anecodotes—the stuff of which the best biography is made." —Publishers Weekly, starred review  "As addictive as it is fascinating."—The Horn Book Magazine  "Another colorful, enthralling excursion into our cultural heritage."—Kirkus Reviews  "An entertaining survey, of interest to adults as well as children."—The New York Times Book Review  * "Irresistible."—SLJ, starred review —

From the Publisher

Gr 4–7—Based on a tantalizing mix of hard facts and credible rumors, Kathleen Krull's book (Harcourt, 2010) contain 20 brief biographies of pirates arranged chronologically. The earliest is Alvilda, a Scandinavian princess whose pirating helped her avoid an unwanted suitor. Kymberly Dakin narrates the women's tales, including Madame Cheng, the inspiration for the Dragon Lady in Terry and the Pirates; Grace O'Malley, the pirate queen; and Lady Mary Killigrew, among others. Ray Childs reads the stories of the male pirates, such as Sir Frances Drake, Captain Kidd, Black Beard, Jean Lafitte, Long John Silver, and others. Both narrators capture the irony and humor of the text, savoring the gossipy details of these sensational lives. Random sections called "Buried Treasure" tell of recent hunts for sunken ships and relate interesting developments in pirate lore. Krull vividly presents these swashbucklers and scoundrels, and their dramatic stories will excite the imaginations of listeners. A solid choice for school and public libraries.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN

School Library Journal

Krull continues her Lives Of series (LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS, LIVES OF THE WRITERS, LIVES OF THE ATHLETES) with the group kids love best: those dirty, dastardly, devilish pirates. Ray Childs takes all the male parts, and Kymberly Dakin handles a healthy contingent of female swashbucklers, including Madame Chung, Lady Mary Killigrew, and Grace O'Malley. There's a tongue-in-cheek tone to each entry, although the book is rich in facts, details, and intriguing speculation, such as which famous male pirate might actually have been a woman. Nineteen profiles—from the real-life Blackbeard to the fictional Long John Silver—make up this crew. The two narrators sail through the short biographies with grace and wit, letting listeners know that today's pirates are ocean-going thugs—and that people felt the same way in days of yore. M.M.C. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

MAY 2010 - AudioFile