Pirates! By Celia Rees
Reviewed by Bronte
I love women pirates, though famous ones are rare. This is the story of Nancy Kington, fleeing an arranged marriage, and Minerva Sharpe, fleeing slavery, who escape together aboard a pirate ship. This sparked my love for female pirates, I was so enthralled by their adventures I went and looked up two of the most famous women pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Reade, who Nancy and Minerva are loosely based on. I flew threw this book and have reread it many times, it is one of my favorite's and led me to read other books by Celia Rees which, though I didn't buy them because I can't find them at Barnes and Noble, are also among my favorites. There was a little romance for those who love the happily ever after stories but that was not the focus. The focus was on their adventures and the cruel Captain Bartholome who is after them. There is a little magic, the folklore kind,. It's fun to read about different types of magic, and I wish I was born in that time period, which made the book that much more enjoyable to read. I would recommend this for young girls (11-12).
To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker.
Reviewed by Joie
A dashing pirate with ill gotten gains presses a knife to a throat. A stolen kiss is delivered to seal a fate. And as a lady captain with the full intent to hunting him down, Anna will not stop to find the treasure that cost her father so dear. But nothing is as it seems as they are double crossed again and again and the miracle is slipping out of her fingers. This is the tale of Annalisa Townsend and James Sterling in To Catch a Pirate.
Annalisa is on her way with her father to a port that would soon be built for the king and queen, when pirates of the Carribean attack. Their ship is burned and the treasure that would be used to build was lost. Anna must find the pirate who stole the treasure, yet charm from one pirate in particular might bring her to her doom.
This story is mostly a romance with a few spots of action. Most girls probably would enjoy it better than boys as the story accents the romance and flirting between a pirate and a daughter of a governor. It does not provide a truly accurate description of how people were or what the world was like back then, yet it remains a fun, light, lovable story. This is recommended for girls at least eleven, because anyone under that might just consider this gross or not understandable. To Catch a Pirate is good on a weekend morning when you need some spice to brighten up your day.
Librarian's note:
Look up: Ching Shih; Granuaile; Alvilda; Charlotte de Berry; Gunpowder Gertie
Read: She Captains : Heroines and Hellions of the Sea by Joan Druett, 387.54 DRUETT in the adult non-fiction section.