The Ballad of the Pirate Queens [Library Binding]

The book that I chose to read for my third critical reflection was called The Pirate Queens. The book was based on the true story of the final voyage of female pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Reade. It portrays the scenario of how Bonney and Reade's ship The Vanity was overtaken by a government sent ship headed by Captain Albion. The story was one of war, pride, and deceit. The crew of The Vanity, consisting of all men, turne their back on the female pirates and chose not to assist in defending the ship. As a result, the ship is seized and burned and the entire crew was put to death. Bonney and Reade, however, were spared due to the fact that they were expecting children. At this particular time in history it was unthinkable to murder an unborn child regardless of the crimes of the mother. This book is a good read for young children for many reasons. For one, it is easy to read and understand. The author, Jane Yolen, does a great job of describing the scene in an easy to understand, entertaining way. There were several parts of the book that are written in rhyme which is something that I always enjoyed as a child because it made the text easier to follow. Also, ever couple of pages the book returns to a recurring phrase which emphasizes The Vanity's beauty, power, and presence as one of the great ships of the time. The literature is presented in a scroll fashion on the left page. This gives the book a feeling of the time it is describing. The background in which the words are written are a dull yellow which is consistent with how an old manuscript would look presently. Another fabulous aspect of the book is the illustrations. I am not in any way exaggerating when I say that the illustrations within this book are among the best I have ever seen. Each picture takes up the entire left side of the page. These pictures are extremely detailed in every aspect. David Shannon, who illustrated the book, did so with an acrylic paint on an illustration board. As a result is has a very rustic and real look to it which adds greatly to the overall appeal of the book. Each picture is very dark. This also gives the reader a feel for the time since lighting was at a minimal almost anywhere in the world, especially on sea. All of the pictures also have a phrase which describes who or what the picture is illustrating. For example there is a picture in the middle of the book which shows an enemy ship, called The Albion, approaching The Vanity. The caption reads, "The Albion engages the Vanity in battle." The idea that this book is good based solely on the fact that children would like it cut the potential of this book short. Often the idea of whether or not the book will appeal to children is what I focus on. Here, I think it is important to point out that this book is interesting enough to stand alone regardless of its intended audience. Overall, based on the illustrations alone, I think that this book is the best I have reflected upon to this point. Their is a lot of aesthetic appeal that really catches the eye and allows for a great deal of fantasy. This along with the interesting story that accompanies it are both reasons to share this adventure young children of both genders. The idea of pirate life will fascinate young boys while the fact that the two main characters were women will keep young girls interested.

My girls loved this story when they were in preschool. It is still one of their favorites now that they are in middle school. Their younger cousins loved as soon as they heard it. In fact, we are hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't. It is a great read aloud offering the repitition that is good for emergent readers. And, of course, Jane Yolen explains thoroughly in the afterward that there is little information available to create a purely factual account. I strongly recommend the ballad for all.

After so many check-outs from the library, this book had to become part of our home collection. My five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son just love it, and I've learned a lot about the Golden Age of Pirates from it.