The Ballad of the Pirate Queens [Library Binding]

Jane Yolen (Author), David Shannon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Recounting the stories of two legendary women pirates, a ballad about Anne Bonney and Mary Reade describes their desperate 1720 evening battle with the governor's men while the rest of the crew remained below. Children's BOMC.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This rollicking ballad springs from an actual incident: captured in 1720 aboard the sloop Vanity when their dilatory mates "below, did drink and sport," the "pirate queens" Anne Bonney and Mary Reade escaped hanging because they were pregnant. Author and artist imagine them later, roughhousing with their grandchildren, while their fellow pirates are fated to sail a ghost ship ("And silver the coins and silver the moon,/ Silver the waves on the top of the sea,/ When the ghostly ship comes sailing in,/ That gallant Vanity"). Yolen and Shannon sail a different course than the one they plotted for the darker and more tragic Encounter (1992). Yolen approaches this almost farcical incident in simple, occasionally rough verse. Ironic in their stateliness, Shannon's paintings-framed, captioned in a scrawled script and otherwise composed to evoke the 18th century-display a sly humor; Mary and Anne in profile "pleading their bellies" before a judge will elicit chuckles. Not for everyone, but offbeat and grimly amusing. Ages 4-12. Children's BOMC featured selection.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?"And silver the coins and silver the moon,/Silver the waves on the top of the sea..." Yolen writes a most unusual ballad of pirate adventure that sings the history of Anne Bonney and Mary Reade, the only 2 women of the 12 pirates aboard the Vanity. They defend the ship from the men of the governor's man-o'-war, Albion, while their captain and the rest of the crew are below drinking rum and playing cards. The females are absolutely the best and bravest of this bad lot. The Vanity is taken; all are brought to trial, but Anne and Mary escape hanging by "pleading their bellies" (claiming they are pregnant), a page taken from history for which Yolen provides notes. Shannon's acrylics are rich, dark, and realistic, and expand upon the story. Faces glow as they did in his work for Rafe Martin's Rough-Face Girl (Putnam, 1992). The depth of the art is reminiscent of great classic illustrators working in oil, especially N.C. Wyeth. This is not for the faint of heart?no good pirate story is?as pirates are not a God-fearing lot. But it is for those who crave high adventure, death-defying acts, and an unflinching glimpse into history. A rousing read-aloud.?Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books (J); 1st edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152007105
• ISBN-13: 978-0152007102
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,855,102 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ballad of the Pirate Queens, April 20, 2000

By 

Brett Butler (South Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for all ages, January 14, 2012

By 

elamax - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ballad of the Pirate Queens (Paperback)

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting for pirate fans of all ages, December 31, 2010

By 

G. Collins - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ballad of the Pirate Queens (Paperback)

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.