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

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

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Praise for the Lives of Series: "Unstuffs a host of shirts and delivers wonderful musical trivia." -"Newsweek " * "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 " * "An irresistible package." -"SLJ" (starred review)