Pirates

Children's Literature - Beverly Kobrin

For "the truth about buccaneers, brigands, corsairs, and their piracy on the high seas from the Spanish Main to the China Seas" middle-schoolers can begin with Stewart Rose's Fact or Fiction: Pirates. Mr. Rose arranges the mischievous and often malevolent mariners by territory, separating the true from the tall tales. He briefly profiles famous individuals such as Ann Bonny and Mary Read and describes life aboard pirate vessels. Illustrations are a blend of drawings and photos.

School Library Journal

Gr 3 UpThrough vivid photographs and reproductions and lively text, Ross introduces colorful characters and lifestyles of the Old West and discusses their impact on popular culture. Topics are covered in double-page spreads, with such titles as ``The Cowboy and His Horse''; ``The Buffalo''; and ``Rum, Cards, and Women.'' A paragraph of text is supported by lengthy captions for the numerous illustrations per page. Popular myths are discussed, then dispelled as the true nature of cowboy life is illustrated. Pirates uses much the same layout but is separated by region. Notorious raiders of the Spanish Main, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, and the Eastern Seas are chronicled, again with textural blurbs accompanying the illustrations. Good overviews.Julie Halverstadt, Douglas Public Library District, Castle Rock, CO