Pirates & Privateers: Jory John's and Avery Monsen's Books

Pirates like William Dampier and Lionel Wafer keep journals, so why not you? Pirate’s Log allows you to keep your own journal while learning the ropes of buccaneering and moving up the ranks from Shark-Bait to Captain in twenty-two intriguing steps. One of the first tasks you must accomplish is choosing your pirate name. Among the other topics covered are celestial navigation, knots, hooks and eye patches, flags, hiding treasure, and ARRRR!

This is a scurvy (a good word in this instance) workbook for pirate apprentices. It contains lots of positive feedback and provides ample space for recording “assignments.” A lesson for Spit-Scrubbers seems either out of place or creative (depending on your perspective); it involves drawing how much facial hair one grows during a week. A questionable question in the segment on pirate films is, “Did you see The Da Vinci Code?” I suspect few pirate apprentices watch this PG-13 film.

Humor abounds both in the text and the pictures. One of my favorite involves “X marks the spot.” They provide you with a large “X” to put on your front lawn to see if anyone actually digs for buried treasure. (Apprentices, you may want to check with Captains Mom and Dad before doing this one.) I suspect someone will either do so, or in keeping with a piratical heart, they’ll steal the “X.” One of the most fun exercises concerns sharks. Some are quite comical and naming them is quite a challenge.

This book comes with a rare treasure. The spine contains a working lamp that allows pirate apprentices to study their journals after the lights are turned off. (I do recommend reading the mandatory instruction page before using, so you don’t waste time guessing about how it works.) Pirate’s Log is a grand prize for anyone searching for pirate adventures that are safe and fun, and that allows you to practice your writing skills with pencil and paper.