Bloody Jack 
by L.A. Meyer.  

Publisher: Turtleback
Year: 2004
ISBN: 978-0613716406

Genre: Fiction/Adventure

Themes: Pirates

Rating: Ages 11 and up 
Awards:  ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist Editor's Choice 
AR Points: 11.0

Fantastic Book for older readers.  Great for boys or girls interested in adventure, pirates and historical fiction.   

Text of Video: Welcome everyone.  Today’s video is all about the novel Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer.  The description on the cover says “being an account of the curious adventures of Mary Jacky Faber, Ship’s Boy.  Mary Faber is the daughter of a school teacher who has come to London to teach.  When his position falls through and the family takes ill, everyone dies except Mary.   Orphaned and alone, Mary is forced out on the streets and is taken in by a gang of street children.  Mary and the gang live on the streets.  They beg for pennies and food.  Sometimes Mary reads the news to the people in the streets and they make money that way.  When they have money, they buy a meat pie and share it between the gang.  When the leader of the gang, Charlie, is killed Mary discovers his body.  Heartbroken and crying, she steals his clothes and shiv.  She cuts her hair and dresses like a boy so she can join a ship’s crew and see the world.  Mary changes her name to Jacky and is accepted to the crew of the Dolphin because she can read.   She tells the crew she is a boy of 10 and bunks down with the 5 other ships boys near the cannons.  Jacky helps prepare the schoolroom for the midshipmen, and takes watch and does all the things the other ship’s boys do.  The British Naval ship the Dolphin travels to Palma and Jamaica in search of pirates, and treasure.  Jacky is growing up during this time and she has to hide the fact that she is becoming a woman.  She also has feelings for Jamie the young merchant’s boy who joined as a ship’s boy with her in London.  Jacky is worried about being thrown overboard when the crew finds out she is a girl, or worse being hanged.  How will Jacky ever share the truth and will she ever become a lady?

 If you love pirate tales, then you are going to love this book.  It has a sequel called Curse of the Blue tattoo.

Pirates Band of Misfits

The Pirates! 

Band of Misfits

Publisher: Aardman Animation          

Year: 2012

Media: Film   Rating: PG

Genre:  Adventure

Subjects/Themes:  Pirates,

Plot Summary:  After years of trying, the Pirate Captain has never won the Pirate of the Year Award.  He wants to enter the contest but is laughed at by the other pirates.  Despondent He is determined to win the prize.  After he attacks the ship of Charles Darwin, he is takes his band of pirates back to London and with his crew embark on an adventure where he learns to value friendship over fame.   

Review:  A silly film with sight gags galore to keep you giggling.  The movie is based on The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists by Gideon Defoe.  Best for younger audiences.  The stop motion animation is fantastic but the story may leave adults longing for something more.

If you like this film you may also like:  Flushed Away (2006), which was fantastic on so many levels, and Wallace & Gromit.