Review Detail
Middle Grade Non-Fiction
915
Diverse group of women pirates
Overall rating
4.0
Writing Style
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
4.0
Learning Value
4.0
This was a fascinating look at a wide range of historical female pirates. The most recent being Ching Shi, who lived from 1775-1844. This historical aspects makes it much easier to frame the women's exploits as adventure and shattering stereotypical gender boundaries, since "pillaging and plundering" seem like activities that everyone is discouraged from these days! I loved the introduction explaining how Lewis and her daughters were fascinated by pirates, and how this led her to research them. The fact that a broad time period and wide range of cultures is represented is wonderful. Artemsia I of Caria, Sela, Sayyida al Hurra, Grace O'Malley, and Anne Bonny, in addition to Ching Shi, all get coverage.
Good Points
This was interesting coverage of the lives of various pirates. The artwork by , in typical National Geographic full color, is vibrant and rich in period details. There are poems for the women, and there are notes on the poetic forms at the back of the book, which was much appreciated, and not surprising given Ms. Lewis' lineage. There is a prose overview of the life and work of each pirate, and lots of sidebars on fashion, other historical figures, and pirating details. This all adds up to concise but well-rounded and complete pictures of the life and times of each woman.
We're starting to see a wealth of diverse collective biographies, from Shatz' Rad Women A to Z (2015) to Baptiste's African Icons (2021), but I have not seen one about pirates! This is a great nonfiction accompaniment to Schulz' Hook's Revenge (2014) or Avi's classic The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1990)
We're starting to see a wealth of diverse collective biographies, from Shatz' Rad Women A to Z (2015) to Baptiste's African Icons (2021), but I have not seen one about pirates! This is a great nonfiction accompaniment to Schulz' Hook's Revenge (2014) or Avi's classic The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1990)
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