Pirate Stories: t'good, t' bad, t'ugly

Ahrr you ready for  

International Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day  

on September 19? 

Have you used your books to help you enhance your pirate vocabulary? Do you know how to swab the decks, walk the gangplank, and shiver m' timbers?

After reading any number of these great pirate adventures written by Canadians, you're sure to be ready when September 19th rolls around this year.  And even if you're not into pirate mimicry, these books tell great yarns!  Here we go, me matey!

   Picture Books  

Bigbeard's Hook: Nathaniel McDaniel and the Magic Attic
by Evan Solomon
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Viking Canada
40 pp.
Ages 6-10
2005


 
Elliot's Shipwreck
by Andrea Beck
Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages 4 - 7
2000


 

Freddy's Day at the Races
by Susan Chalker Brown
Illustrated by HildaRose
Orca Book Publishers
32 pp.
Ages 6-12
2008


 
Grandma and the Pirates
by Phoebe Gilman
Scholastic Canada
32 pp.
Ages 5-8
2012 (reissue)



Lucy and the Pirates
by Glen Petrie
Illustrated by Matilda Harrison.
Tradewind Books
32 pp.
Ages 7-10
1996


 
The Pirate and the Penguin
by Patricia Storms
Owlkids Books
32 pp.
Ages 5-8
2009


The Pirate Girl's Treasure: An Origami Adventure 
by Peyton Leung
Illustrated by Hilary Leung
Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages 4-8
2012

The Pirates of Captain McKee
[Original title: Whatever You Do, Don’t Go Near That Canoe!]
by Julie Lawson
Illustrated by Werner Zimmerman
Scholastic Canada
30 pp.
Ages 3-9
1996/2008

Princess June and the Shadow Pirates
by Douglas Hopkins
Tuckamore Books
32 pp.
Ages 7-9
2005

Sail Away
by Florence McNeil
Illustrated by David McPhail
Orca Book Publishers
32 pp.
Ages 2-5
2000

Sally Dog Little
by Bill Richardson
Illustrated by Céline Malépart
Annick Press
24 pp.
Ages 6-9
2002

Small Saul
by Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages
2011

The Terrible Horrible Smelly Pirate
by Carrie Muller and Jacqueline Halsey
Illustrated by Eric Orchard
Nimbus
32 pp.
Ages 4-7
2008

A Treasure at Sea for Dragon and Me: Water Safety for Kids (and Dragons)
by Jean E. Pendziwol
Illustrated by Martine Gourbault
Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages 3-7
2005
 

   Chapter Books   

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman      
by Adrienne Kress
Scholastic Canada
382 pp.
Ages 9-12
2007       
 
 


The Ancient Ocean Blues
by Jack Mitchell
Tundra Books
187 pp.
Ages 9-13
2008





Beware, Pirates!  
(Canadian Flyer Adventures 1)
by Frieda Wishinsky
Illustrated by Dean Griffiths
Maple Tree Press
83 pp.
Ages 6-9
2007



Captain Jake
by Shannon Stewart
Illustrated by Ben Hodson
Orca Book Publishers
59 pp.
Ages 7-9
2008

The Dread Crew: Pirates of the Backwoods
by Kate Inglis
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Nimbus
192 pages
Ages 8-12
2010

Horrendo's Curse
by Anna Fienberg
Illustrated by Kim Gamble
Annick Press
158 pp.
Ages 9-12
2002

Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas
by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dušan Petricic
Tundra Books
128 pp.
Ages 7-10
2009

Little Jane Silver
by Adira Rotstein
Dundurn
268 pp.
Ages 9-14
2011

Little Jane Silver and the Nameless Isle
by Adira Rotstein
Dundurn
272 pp.
Ages 9-14
September, 2012

A Noodle Up Your Nose
by Frieda Wishinsky
Illustrated by Louise-Andrée Laliberté
Orca Book Publishers
64 pp.
Ages 6-8
2004

The Secret of Pirate Taz
by Liz Collard
Illustrated by Maia Desjardins
Trafford Publishing
24 pp.
Ages 5-7
2011

The Ship of Lost Souls
by Rachelle Delaney
HarperCollins Canada
233 pp.
Ages 9-12
2009

The Lost Souls of Island X 
by Rachelle Delaney
HarperCollins Canada
240 pp.
Ages 8-12
2011

Torrie and the Pirate Queen
by K.V. Johansen
Illustrated by Christine Delezenne
Annick Press
156 pp.
Ages 9-11
2005

Woolies and Worms
by Stephen MacNeil
Illustrated by John Sandford
Cricket Books / Publishers Group Canada
243 pp.
Ages 8-10
2007

   Young Adult Books   

The Bonemender's Choice
by Holly Bennett
Orca Book Publishers
234 pp.
Ages 11+
2007

The Convicts
by Iain Lawrence
Delacorte/Random House Canada
198 pp.
Ages 11-14
2005

The Cannibals
by Iain Lawrence
Delacorte/Random House Canada
230 pp.
Ages 11-14
2005

The Castaways
by Iain Lawrence
Delacorte/Random House Canada
243 pp.
Ages 10-14
2007

Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates
by Seán Cullen
Illustrated by Johann Wessels
Puffin Canada
293 pp.
Ages 10-13
2006

The Wreckers
by Iain Lawrence
Delacorte/Doubleday
196 pp.
Ages 10-13
1998

The Smugglers
by Iain Lawrence
Dell Yearling/Random House Canada
184 pp.
Ages 10-14
1999

The Buccaneers 
by Iain Lawrence
Delacorte/Random House Canada
244 pp.
Ages 11+
2001

The Island of Mad Scientists: Being an Excursion to the Wilds of Scotland, Involving Many Marvels of Experimental Invention, Pirates, a Heroic Cat, a Mechanical Man and a Monkey: The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones
by Howard Whitehorse
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Kids Can Press
262 pp.
Ages 11-14
2008

 
Minerva's Voyage
by Lynne Kositsky
Dundurn
215 pp.
Ages 11-14
2010

Perilous Passage
by B. J. Bayle
Sandcastle/Dundurn
184 pp.
Ages 10-13
2007




Pirates Passage
by William Gilkerson
Trumpeter/Shambhala/Random House Canada
364 pp.
Ages 11-13
2006

Red Sea
by Diane Tullson
Orca Book Publishers
168 pp.
Ages 13-17
2005



 

Skybreaker
by Kenneth Oppel
HarperCollins Canada
340 pp.
Ages 12-16
2005

The Uncle Duncle Chronicles: Escape from Treasure Island
by Darren Krill
Lobster Press
335 pp.
Ages 14-16
2006

   Non-Fiction  

Imagine You're a Pirate
by Meg Clibbon
Illustrated by Lucy Clibbon
Annick Press
32 pp.
Ages 4-9
2002

Lost Treasures: True Stories of Discover
by Larry Verstraete
Scholastic Canada
185 pp.
Ages 9-13
2006

Oak Island Family: The Restall Hunt for Buried Treasure
by Lee Lamb
Dundurn Press
236 pp.
Ages 12+
2012

The Ship That Voted No and Other Stories of Ships and the Sea
by Tommy Keene
Lancelot Press
86 pp.
Ages 12+
1995

A Thousand Years of Pirates
by William Gilkerson
Tundra Books
96 pp.
Ages 10-14
2009

Small Medium at Large

Written by Joanne Levy

Bloomsbury Children's Books

978-1-59990-836-6

193 pp.

Ages 9-13

2012

Lilah is the Small Medium at Large.  She is only 12 (hence, the small) and her newly acquired psychic ability (making her a medium) is released (i.e., at large) after she is struck by lightning while clutching a metal tent pole at her mother's outdoor wedding.  Luckily, as the great cover indicates, Lilah is an endearing child with a colourful supporting cast to help her manage:  her kind but awkward Dad, just getting back into dating; her loving mother and new step-dad Stan, now away on their month long honeymoon; her best friend, Alex, who finds the value in Lilah's new gift; and her dead grandmother, Bubby Dora, who tells it like it is with wisdom and love, advising Lilah she can't "be everything to everybody."

Getting this psychic ability is a shock in itself but having dead people talking to her wherever she goes could become problematic.  Luckily, most of the spirits she "meets" are good-hearted souls who want to help: her Bubby Dora wants to help Lilah's dad find someone nice so he wouldn't be so lonely; Serena, a former bandmate of Lilah's music teacher, wants him to start up their old band; Miss Marion, the lunch lady, who is able to steer Lilah away from lousy meatloaf and such in the school cafeteria; and Mr. Finkel, the father of the boy on whom Lilah is crushing, just wants to connect with his son.

But, sharing her gift with others is especially awkward, even though Alex is sure that Lilah could make loads of money selling her services.  Luckily, Lilah is more apt to use her gift to help others, including those whose nasty behaviour could have earned them her disdain and disregard.

Small Medium at Large has all the hallmarks of a great middle-grade read.  The plot focus is simple i.e., Lilah's new-found psychic ability.  The characters are mostly of the kind variety with only a couple of nasty ones added for flavour and even they can be redeemed.  And the stories resolve themselves amicably when characters connect.  Even the book trailer from Joanne Levy demonstrates the light-heartedness of the book.  Joanne Levy shares, without preaching, that supporting one's family and friends can bring good karma even if you have to live through the awkwardness of puberty and first crushes.

One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Pajama Press
978-1-927485-02-6
128 pp.
Ages 8-12
2012

Eight-year-old Son Thi Anh Tuyet's story begins in Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue From War (Pajama Press, 2011) with her rescue from Saigon when the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong relentlessly bombarded the city at the conclusion of the Vietnam War.  Along with numerous babies from the orphanage, Tuyet is given transport to Canada.  And, regardless of her polio-stricken left foot and leg which she believes makes her unadoptable, Tuyet is welcomed into the Morris household in Ontario.

So begins One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way, the next chapter of Tuyet's life, as a new sister to Beth, 4; Lara, 3, adopted from Calcutta; and baby Aaron, also from Vietnam.  Though far from the bombings and orphanage life in Vietnam, Tuyet is still troubled.  She experiences nightmares and poor sleep, finding reassurance in sleeping on the floor near family so that she might hear them nearby.  She cannot understand English very well yet, so communication is difficult, though she recognizes the love and safety she feels in the Morris' home, now hers.  And she continues to suffer with her disabled foot and leg that prevent her from walking properly, running, and even kicking a ball.  Overriding everything, though, is her fear that she may have to leave the Morris' and perhaps return to Vietnam.

Though it has been explained to her that she will be going to McMaster Hospital for an operation for her leg and foot, Tuyet is not prepared emotionally for being separated from her new family and the aftermath of the operation.  In the 1970's, Canada's multicultural identify had not quite blossomed fully and translation services were essentially non-existent.  Awakening to find her leg "in cement" is distraction enough, but being unable to communicate her overwhelming pain leaves Tuyet feeling even more vulnerable.  Luckily her simple "I want Mom and Dad" brings Dad to help, as he does throughout the whole process of Tuyet using her crutches, being fitted for braces, and getting regular physiotherapy.

Tuyet's new life is filled with many "firsts", which she sometimes sadly connects with her past.  Balloons, the hospital, birthday presents and cake with burning candles, leg casts, and even a crop duster plane cause some confusion and even distress but the compassion and support John and Dorothy Morris extend to their new daughter and the unconditional love of her new siblings remedies most of her fears and pains.  Ultimately, coupled with a pair of little red shoes, Tuyet's life is changed forever.

Just as she so eloquently did in Last Airlift, Marsha Skrypuch gently takes the reader by the hand to observe the young girl's new life from Tuyet's viewpoint.  The thoughts in Tuyet's young mind are varied, complex and even irrational (from an adult's point of view, of course) but they are real and overwhelming to an eight-year-old, and even Tuyet astutely recognizes that "not all hurts show on the outside." (pg. 90) Not the princess dreams and perfect endings of fairy tales, Tuyet's story is all the more satisfying when her anxieties and confusions are resolved fittingly, just as her shoes are, though not perfectly, and provide the hope necessary to help her take her next steps.  A wonderful tale of making things fit, whether they be people or shoes.

* * * * * * * * * *

If you can make the book launch for One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way on Wednesday September 19, you will be fortunate enough to visit with both author Marsha Skrypuch and her guest, Tuyet. 

Middle Ages (Medieval Times) Book List III

Clip art from www.teacherfiles.com

This is the third list of Canadian titles that deal with Medieval Times or the Middle Ages, which is generally accepted to have occurred from about 500 to 1500 C.E., after the fall of the Roman Empire until the Renaissance Era (14th c. to 16th c.). Only exceptional non-fiction is included here.

Non-Fiction

Adventures in the Middle Ages

by Linda Bailey

Illustrated by Bill Slavin

Kids Can Press

48 pp.

Ages 8-12

2000

Part of the Good Times Travel Agency series by author Linda Bailey and illustrator Bill Slavin, Adventures in the Middle Ages follows siblings Josh, Emma and Libby into medieval times of battles, catapults and unsanitary conditions.

Archers, Alchemists and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved or Loathed

by Priscilla Galloway

Illustrated by Martha Newbigging

Annick Press

96 pp.

Ages 9-13
2003
Read about the wide variety of occupations by folks in the middle ages, far beyond the knights and castle folk most children know.

Clay Man: The Golem of Prague

by Irene N. Watts

Illustrated by Kathryn E. Shoemaker

Tundra

84 pp.

Ages 9+

2009

A retelling of the classic tale of a man formed of clay by the Jewish people in Prague in the late 1500's.

The Serpent Bride: Stories from Medieval Danish Ballads

by K. V. Johansen

Thistledown Press

187 pp.

Ages 13+

1998

Ten stories from Medieval Denmark include witches or trolls, love stories, dark magic and sailing the high seas.

The Seventh Expert: An Interactive Medieval Adventure

by Mark Oakley

Illustrated by John Mantha

Annick

96 pp.

Ages 10-12

2008
Following violent weather in the 1300's, a medieval village must be rebuilt, with the help of the reader and the expert advice and tools of those who lived in the middle ages.

Book Launch: One Step at a Time, A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

Join

Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

author of 

Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War

on   
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

at

The Station Coffee House and Gallery
5 Wadsworth Street
Brantford, ON
(519) 309-0008

for the launch of the sequel

One Step at a Time
A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way

Eight-year-old Tuyet's harrowing escape from Saigon in 1975 and adoption by her new family in Brantford, Ontario was the focus of Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War (Pajama Press, 2011).  One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way recounts Tuyet's true story of adjusting to her new family and country and accepting the unconditional love and support extended to her, regardless of her polio-stricken left foot and leg which she had always believed made her unadoptable.

Marsha Skrypuch accompanied by Tuyet will generously answer questions and autograph books at this book launch.

And the Crowd Goes Wild! A Global Gathering of Sports Poems

Edited by Carol-Ann Hoyte and Heidi Bee Roemer

Illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

Friesen Press

978-1-77097-953-6

67 pp.

Ages 7–12

August 2012

Reviewed from digital file

978-1-77097-954-3

Fans of sports, poetry, humour and youngCanLit will be sure to cheer for this anthology of poetry that stretches from the experiences of going to the stadium to playing and watching various sports and games (including lacrosse, chess, table tennis, football, baseball and dogsled racing) and finales like the World Series and closing ceremonies.

And the Crowd Goes Wild! editors, Canadian Carol-Ann Hoyte and American Heidi Bee Roemer, have chosen poetry from around the world, hence the global gathering, which includes Canada, U.S.A., Australia, Liberia, England, Scotland, New Zealand, Ghana, Ireland and Wales.  Young readers will recognize many sports like hockey, tennis and football, and learn about nontraditional endeavours such as goalball and monoskiing.  Whether in contexts of global events such as the Olympics and the Paralympics, or based in neighbourhood fields and playgrounds, the poetry will touch readers with its humour, poignancy or familiarity.  From the young girl whose letter asks her coach (also her father) to let her play (The Letter by Eileen R. Meyer), to a girl's relationship with her father solidified over sport (I Watch Football with My Father by Savannah Tesla) or Tiffany Stone's I Hate Hockey, surprisingly told from the puck's point of view, the poetry emphasizes the relation of young people to sport from their own perspectives and experiences.  The reader need not be familiar with the sport or topic to enjoy the poetry, but experiences, personal or observational, will introduce another layer of appreciation and comprehension of the poetry.

One of the numerous poems by Canadians is Pianoball by Jocelyn Shipley, author of How to Tend a Grave (reviewed here).  Showing her writing versatility, Jocelyn Shipley's poem about a child practising piano while yearning for the baseball game is enhanced by a Kevin Sylvester drawing.  Kevin Sylvester, author of the wildly popular Neil Flambé series, is also recognized for his sports-based non-fiction (e.g., Game Day, Annick, 2010; Sports Hall of Weird, Kids Can Press, 2005) and award-winning illustrations (e.g., Don't Touch That Toad and Other Strange Things Adults Tell You, Kids Can Press, 2010) so he was the definitive choice for illustrator of And the Crowd Goes Wild!

I haven't even mentioned a valuable resource for teachers who'd love to meld poetry with sports.  The editors generously referenced each poem to its form (e.g., shape poems, acrostic) and poetic devices such as hyperbole and metaphor. And if that wasn't enough, there is a website at http://crowdgoeswildpoems.wordpress.com/ that is slated to provide primers on writing poetry and interviews with the editors and others related to And the Crowd Goes Wild! book.

As I'm always promoting CanLit for young readers, the inclusion of poetry by non-Canadians does not negate the value of this wonderful anthology.  Published in Canada with the efforts of a Canadian editor and illustrated by a well-known illustrator and sports enthusiast, in addition to the numerous poets from Canada, I can safely attest that And the Crowd Goes Wild! hits one out of the park, no matter who's on the teams. Go, Team Hoyte-Roemer, Go!