The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked & Found

Written by Martin W. Sandler

Pirates, plunder, shipwrecks and discovered riches all arrive in one accessible and engaging story. First, Sandler lets the reader know what it was really like to be a pirate. Keeping an oath and getting marooned on an island were realities one lived with every day. As well as with the dangers of living on the open sea.

Extensive primary research went into the writing of this book that also looks at the economic tragedies brought about by piracy at the time and the extreme danger faced by any ship at sea with a cargo. Pirates were always hunting new prey.

But sometimes they got caught, by storms at sea and/or authorities on the land. Students can read about the real trial of these pirates, as well as their execution.

Also included are informative inserts of two or three- page length. One such insert relays the beginnings of the rescue missions of the United States Coast Guard.

Teachers and librarians can use this as an example of primary research as well as geography as it all takes place along the coast of Cape Code. Fourth grade readers as well as fifth grade readers will be excited to read about the discovery of the sunken treasures of the, Whydah, so many decades after it sunk. It may also intrigue them to imagine how many thousands of dollars of gold doubloons still sit on the bottom of the sea waiting to be found.

Several authentic photos of the recovery efforts are included and add a sense of reality to the notion of piracy so often relegated only to fictional stories.

Highly recommended for elementary, middle school, and public libraries.

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  • The WhydahTitle:  The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked & Found
  • Author:  Martin W. Sandler
  • Publisher:  Candlewick Press, 2017
  • Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
  • Format:  Hardcover, 176 pages
  • ISBN:  978-0-7636-8033-6
  • Genre: Nonfiction
  • Grade level: 4 to 8
  • Extras: Photography Credits, Source Material, Bibliography, Index

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