Pirates and Shipwrecks: Real Tales of Terror on the High Seas

Gr 5–8—These hi-lo books focus on high-stakes stories from European and U.S. history. Each begins with a brief overview, followed by profiles of a specific person or disaster. In Pirates and Shipwrecks, readers are introduced to a number of pirates and three shipwrecked crews. Two shipwrecks, the Bounty mutiny, the ill-fated Donner party, and a trek across Death Valley comprise Survival. Intriguing details about Ernest Shackleton's starving crew keep readers engaged. A map of the area where each event took place, a time line, and an abbreviated list of other historical events from the time period allow students an additional way to connect with the material. Aside from an author's note that attributes the story of Daniel Collins to a published narrative, none of the other tales have references. The author uses the phrases savage islanders and natives who would kill them to describe encounters survivors had with people from island nations.