PIRATE QUEENS: DAUNTLESS WOMEN WHO DARED TO RULE THE HIGH SEAS
By Leigh Lewis; illustrated by Sara Wooley Gomez
Ching Shih, the Pirate Queen,
was ruler of the seas.
She brought pirates and emperors
and dynasties to their knees.
Not much is known about her youth.
Her birth name is a mystery.
The story of young Ching Shih’s life?
Forever lost to history.
So begins the exploration of six of the most fierce and fearless pirates who ever lived, all of whom happen to be female. From Ching Shih, a Chinese pirate who presided over a fleet comprised of some 80,000 men (Blackbeard had 400!), to Anne Bonny who famously ran away from an arranged marriage to don trousers and brandish a pistol in the Bahamas, to Sayyida al Hurra, an Islamic queen who ruled the Western Mediterranean, this edgy illustrated book proves that since ancient times women have made their mark in all aspects of history—even pirate lore.
Reviewed by some of the world’s leading pirate experts and historians, Pirate Queens showcases six gutsy women who dared to rule the high seas.
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Non-Fiction Middle Grade, written in verse
ISBN: 978-1426371950
“For readers who want more herstory in history.”
--Publishers Weekly
“Pirate Queens seamlessly weaves together poetry and prose, bringing readers along on a fun, informative, and fascinating high-seas adventure.”
— Aileen Weintraub, author of We Got Game! 35 Female Athletes Who Changed the World.
“Lavishly illustrated, Lewis' clever and sneakily-informative verses send these fearsome pirate women leaping off the page and into the imaginations of readers.”
— Laura Sook Duncombe, author of
A Pirate's Life for She: Swashbuckling Women Through the Ages
“Epic! Every gorgeous page of PIRATE QUEEENS thrums with the thrill of adventure which defined the lives of these daring women from diverse corners of the globe.”
— Debbie Rigaud, NY Times Bestselling Author of Simone Breaks All the Rules and coauthor of Alyssa Milano's Hope series
“Readers will be simply spellbound by the captivating micro-biographies of these powerful pirates.”
— Rebecca Kai Dotlich, former U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate and author
“…an ethnically inclusive selection of real-life women who commanded ships, wielded cutlasses, and struck fear into the hearts of others.”
-Publishers Weekly
Available for Order