Kingfisher Knowledge Pirates Smugglers

This is a swashbuckling introduction to the highwaymen--and women--of the seas from the Cilician pirates who terrorized the Mediterranean more than two thousand years ago to today's well-organized and ruthless buccaneers who target supertankers on the China Sea. The book examines the terror tactics of pirates throughout the ages and uncovers the secretive schemes of modern-day smugglers.

This title in the 'Kingfisher Knowledge' series allows readers to meet some of the most cunning, ruthless and feared criminals in history, from the frenzied Viking berserkers to the highly organised smuggling rings of today.

Poses and answers thirty-one questions about pirates such as: How did people become pirates?, Did pirates have wooden legs?, and How were pirates punished?

Research indicates boys are interested in reading nonfiction materials, yet most children's librarians prefer to booktalk fiction. Offering citations for more than 1,100 books, Gotcha for Guys! deals specifically with books to pique the interest of middle grade boys. A series of booktalks are grouped within chapters with like titles such as: Creepy-Crawly Creatures, Disasters and Unsolved Mysteries, Action and Innovation, and All Things Gross. Complete booktalks are presented in a beginning section of chapters 1-9. A second section in each of these chapters contains short annotations and talks for other books of interest, and a third section offers lists of well-reviewed titles to consider for boys. The book is enhanced with book cover art and reproducible lists for teachers and librarians.

Describes the golden age of piracy, including why people became pirates, the life of a pirate, and why the era ended.

Describes the places that pirates used as hideouts.

Pirates at the Barn first pub. 1963.

Here, readers can learn about piracy through the ages - from the Caribbean to the South China Sea; pirate ships and flags; and daily life for the crew.