Who Wants to Be a Pirate?: What It Was Really Like in the Golden Age of Piracy

by Bridget Heos, Daniel Duncan (Illustrator)

Have you ever wanted to be a pirate? To sail the high seas in search of adventure―and maybe some buried treasure?

Well, writer Bridget Heos and illustrator Daniel Duncan welcome you aboard Captain Parrot's pirate ship! Captain Parrot is here to tell you about the life of a real swashbuckler from the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1730).

From danger to the doldrums, Who Wants to Be a Pirate? has all the need-to-know facts. And don't worry about walking the plank―strap in for fun and join Captain Parrot's pirate crew!

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Pirates, History

32 pages, Hardcover

Published November 26, 2019

Reviews

[Cynthia June Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

NY: Henry Holt, 2019
Disappointing.
Lighthearted.
Not inaccurate per se but definitely picture book fiction. NOT nonfiction.
Cute.
What do you expect for the ages 3-6 crowd?

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who Wants to Be a Pirate? What It Was Really Like In the Golden Age of Piracy by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Daniel Duncan. PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt and Company (Macmillan), 2019. $18. 9780805097702

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The narrator is a pirate who speaks directly to the reader, suggesting that there is a big difference between storybook pirates and pirates in his day. He starts with comparing the scariness of a storybook pirate ship to the true state of a pirate ship, which is usually smelly from the animals that are on the ship.

This could open up a great discussion beyond just pirates, talking about the discrepancies between how the media portrays things and how things truly are. But for those who do love pirates, this book will be a hit.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pirates remain popular with youngsters today, partly because of the appeal of books and movies featuring them, but often much of what we think we know about pirates isn't true at all. Word of mouth and much exaggeration has contributed to these misconceptions and romantic view of the pirate life, and this book is here to set readers straight about the reality of life as a pirate. Featuring Photoshop illustrations, the book takes readers back to the Golden Age of Piracy, from 1650 to 1730, and through the experienced eyes of one Captain Parrot, separates facts from fiction. The text grabs readers' attention right away by pointing out that a pirate ship had to carry its groceries with it, resulting in unpleasant smells from the animals' waste products. Living conditions, running out of food, and the hardships of work aboard the ship are discussed as well as how injuries were handled. This makes all that swashbuckling and fighting a lot less savory than might have been the case otherwise. Bad weather, legal issues, and inaccurate maps contribute to the challenges of life as a pirate. If all this fails to convince readers that the pirate life is probably not ideal, the Author's Note in which she explains that pirates were often hanged for their crimes most likely will. I know that I will never look at pirates and piracy in the same way again. This book would obviously be useful in teaching youngsters about fact and fiction in a fun and different way.

[Musiclib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Parrot guides readers through the differences between the activities of the pirates of the movies and pirates during the "Golden Age of Piracy" (1650-1730). This would be a good choice for a pirate storytime (especially on talk like a pirate day). It's a great title to sneak some learning into a fun story!

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We embark upon an adventure with Captain Parrot on his pirate ship to learn what a pirate’s life was really like.

Who Wants To Be A Pirate teaches us a pirate’s life is nothing like the Hollywood version.


Who Wants To Be A Pirate is well written with great illustrations that adds to the story.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this to be a fun read that turned out educational as well. It looks like fiction, but has so many facts that teach kids the divide between fictional pirating and real life pirating of old. Great addition to our pirate study we did this summer break!

[Kristen Thorp · Rating 2 out of 5]

303/365

[Phaea Crede · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still want to be a pirate but I have a better sense of what to expect now, which is great!

[Dana Storytime Account · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun pirate book for slightly older readers.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, but should be marketed as a picture book, not a nonfiction book for kids