Nautical Literature for Children

[Mathias]

"Pirate's Passage" is a most delightful book about an old sailor, his love of the sea, his friendship with a 12-year-old boy, mystery and adventure.

And while it is all that, at its core, it is the best concise summary of the history of pirates I have ever read. I know understand the history of piracy as never before and I am familiar with all the major pirates by reading this book, which is aimed at the youth market, but a treasure for any adult.

An old sailor who ostensibly errs in navigation, ending up at an aging sea-side inn in Nova Scotia. There he befriends the mother who owns the inn and her 12-year-old son. Is there treasure in the catacombs under the inn? Why does the old sailor know such much about piracy? Why is his name the same as the historical pirate, Charles Johnson?

A fun and insightful read.

-Mathias

[Stan W.]

Melville's Billy Budd.

[Carl Thunberg]

Hey Guys, this is absolutely perfect timing. This is school vacation week and my daughter is BORED. So, tomorrow she gets "The Old Man and the Sea". After that, it's "Mutiny on the Bounty". Never heard of "Pirates Passage" before. Sounds good. These are all great choices. Thanks!

Joe, if your grandsons are anything like I was when I was a boy, they'd love the "Best of Dr. Crash" calendar. Boys just have this morbid fascination with crashes. Come to think of it, we never quite outgrow that one. Why else to do we read "Fastnet Force 10" or "The Perfect Storm"?

[Dean Abramson]

Dove, by Robin Graham. About a young boy singlehander. Great book.

Dean

[Oswego John]

Carl T.

I think that Mutiny On The Bounty Is an excellent choice. I guarantee that your daughter will be anything but bored once she gets into the story.

As a sidenote, I had the good fortune to witness the original movie of Mutiny On The Bounty. The year was 1935 and it was filmed in black and white. Charles Laughton played the unforgettable role of Captain Bligh, and Clark Gable flawlessly played the First Mate, Fletcher Christian.

I have seen remakes of the story in later years but in my mind, you have to go a very long way to outdo the original version.

FWIW,
O J

[Dave Jeffery]

Books by Arthur Ransome as mentioned, especially "Swallows and Amazons" and "Coot Club." "Storm Without Rain" by Jan Adkins (not strictly sailing but close enough). "The Pirates' Apprentice" by Peter Wells. This is no doubt out of print but worth looking for. It's sort of a nautical version of "The Ransom of Red Chief." "Paddle to the Sea" and "Seabird" by Hollings Clancy Hollings. Again out of print probably, and not strictly sailing, but superb, especially the illustrations.

[hebert01]

Sou'west and By West of Cape Cod by Llewellyn Howland or Catboat Summers by John Conway. Particularly good for Buzzards Bay kids!