Ahoy mateys! Come sail across the seven seas and dive into the exciting world of pirates and adventure. If your little one is interested in swashbuckling stories, they will love these pirate books for kids.
From the sea-faring dwellers of the Mediterranean, the Vikings in the north, and the pirates of the Caribbean, piracy has been around for an extremely long time. Most of the time, when we think of pirates, we tend to think of the pirates that were around during the golden age of piracy (1650s-1730s). Famous pirates such as Henry Morgan, Blackbeard (Edward Teach), Jack Rackham, and Anne Bonny were all scavenging throughout the Caribbean during this time.
Pirates are known to be rude, messy, and unforgiving. Not exactly what comes to mind when you think of “role models” for children. However, many kids are super fascinated by them and feel they can connect to them in a way. Funnily enough, there are indeed similarities between pirates and children. They both definitely love to push boundaries! Pirates allow children to be brave, find adventure in their everyday lives, and have permission to be different. That’s enough to delve into some fun literary adventures on the seven seas.
In this blog post:
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Pirate Book for Kids:
Pirate Books for Kids Ages 3-5:
1- Pirate Pete – by Ladybird
If you’re looking for a more interactive science book that covers a variety of topics, this is a wonderful option. It has lots Dive into the Pirate Pete and Princess Polly series, a book series created for very little ones. The series has multiple titles, all aimed at teaching toddlers about changes (like starting nursery or becoming a sibling, for example), manners, and basic life skills. Follow little Pirate Pete as he navigates the challenges of toddler life! The book also has a fun built-in button that lets out a “cheer” sound, cheering Pete on as he completes milestones, big or small.
2- Jake and the Neverland Pirates – by Little Golden Books – Disney
If your kids are fans of the Disney TV Show “Jake and the Neverland Pirates,” they will also probably enjoy these books! They have several books that follow Jake and his friends’ adventures, staying true to the TV show. The stories are fun and easy to follow, and the vocabulary is easy to digest for younger kids!
3- How to Be a Pirate by Isaac Fitzgerald
CeCe wants to figure out how she can be a pirate so she goes to her grandpa for advice. He must know about pirates, he has a ship after all, and oh so many tattoos. This is a sweet book that shares characteristics that every pirate should have. Colorful and beautifully illustrated, follow CeCe as she learns she needs to be brave, independent and most importantly full of love.
4- Sunk by Rob Biddulph
This book is about no ordinary pirate; it is about Penguin Blue, a penguin who decides to play pirate and go on an adventure with all his animal friends. Follow along as they overcome obstacles and challenges and meet new friends. Expect fun rhymes, humor, and lovely detailed illustrations with a message at the end emphasizing that spending a good time with friends is better than any kind of treasure.
5- The Treasure of Pirate Frank by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham
A classic pirate treasure hunt story with a fun twist at the end (spoiler alert: Pirate Frank is a girl! We love breaking gender norms!). This is a unique book that builds upon its previous sentences. The repetitive sequences make it easy for kids to grasp vocabulary and it can be a fun memory challenge to see if they can eventually read the book along with you because of the repetition.
6- The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle
Matilda lives in a town called Dull-on-Sea, where not much happens. Then, one day, she gets new neighbors – pirates! Follow Matilda as she befriends the pirates and the other townsfolk struggle to adjust. This book contains lots of fun “pirate speak,” really bringing the Pirate family to life and lots of fun illustrations to look at. This book can be an excellent teaching moment as it encourages you to discuss how being different can be a great thing! As well as how important it is not to judge others for being different. If you enjoy this book, you can look at “Pirates and the Scurvy Sands,” where both Matilda and the Jolley-Rogers go on an adventure together.
7- First Sticker Book – Pirates by Usborne
If your child loves pirates, this book contains many pirate-themed scenes and stickers! It allows your child to create scenes full of swashbuckling pirates, parrots, and treasure. There isn’t any text to read, but this can be pretty fun if your little one enjoys stickers. However, a warning – some of the stickers are quite small and can be quite fiddly! Nevertheless, it is a good book to help little ones pass the time.
Pirate Books for Kids Ages 6-8:
8- Pirate Stew by Neil Gaiman
What happens when a bunch of rowdy pirates come to babysit? Find out in this beautiful and witty book! This book will leave you giggling at the charming story and rhymes and admiring Chris Ridell’s fun and whimsical illustrations. The illustrations are quite busy, and the characters are very fun, so there’s a lot to take in!
9- The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater
If you’re looking for a gentler book that’s more about sailing the seas, this is an excellent pick. The story follows a curious fox who is looking for answers; in his search, he ends up sailing on the sea, meeting new animal friends, as well as briefly encountering pirates. With a very Wes Anderson feel, this is a sweet, beautiful, and heartwarming book with lovely illustrations. Although it’s not super dense with text, some of the vocabulary is a bit more complicated, making it better suited for this age group than the younger one (although with a bit of explaining, I’m sure they’ll enjoy it too).
10- Usborne Official Pirate’s Handbook by Sam Taplin
This is a really fun book for kids who love pirates. It will teach you everything you need to know about being a pirate, from nautical pirate vocabulary to how to speak like a pirate, and it even includes some information about real-life pirates.
11- Magic Tree House Series – Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osbourne
In this book, brother and sister, Jack and Annie, enter their book-filled treehouse and just so happen to find a book about pirates. Suddenly, and magically, they are whisked away to pirate-infested waters and so the adventure begins! A great book for beginner readers that helps kids get into reading more chapter-style books. This is technically not the first book in the series, but the series doesn’t need to be read in order.
Also, check out this Magic Tree House Pirate Research Guide here; it is a great learning tool and accompaniment to the series book! It’s full of pirate history and facts for kids.
12- Pirates Magnified by David Long
This book feels like “Where’s Waldo” – pirate edition! Learn about real-life famous pirates and pirate life, all while looking for different objects in the vibrant and busy scenery. It’s a great way to pass the time and a fun way to learn more about pirates.
Pirate Books for Kids Ages 9+ :
13- Pirateology by Captain William Lubber
Part of the “Ology” series, this is a super big, fun, and interactive book for kids interested in pirates. It contains many flaps, maps, and small props you can pull out and play with, making it different from most other pirate books. Think of this as a fictional pirate journal that documents a fictional pirate chase, with some non-fiction information sprinkled in to tie everything together. This is an engaging read and will make your kids feel like they are part of the adventure.
14- The Pirate Pig by Cornelia Funke
Have you ever met a pig that can sniff out treasure? Meet Julie, the Pirate Pig! This book doesn’t have chapters, as it’s not a particularly long read. However, it is an excellent introduction to chapter books as it has more text for kids to read through. It’s quite a simple story, but easy to follow and still enjoyable, especially if you like pigs.
15- Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eagar
A pirate adventure about a smart, witty girl who is also an inventor! This is a compelling read with a super dynamic and capable main character. The book starts with a bit of a heavy beginning, where the main character’s parents pass away in a storm, but it’s dealt with touchingly and doesn’t stop the rest of the book from being fun, creative, and exciting. It’s a longer read written for 8-12 year olds that also makes for a good read-aloud.
16- The Accidental Pirates Series – Voyage to Magical North by Claire Fayers
A magical and mystical fantasy book filled with a vibrant main character, a band of pirates, and even a pirate ship called “The Onion”. This book will surely spark your imagination as you go on a voyage to Magical North. It’s a fast-paced chapter book that makes for a thrilling bedtime read. Great for older kids and tweens! If you’re ready for pirates, sea monsters, magicians, and a celebration of stories and books, this could be a good option.
17- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
This is an absolute classic and a must-read. Young Jim Hawkins sets off on a swashbuckling pirate adventure, meeting an array of different characters along the way. He navigates the seas, learning more about trust, about himself, and, of course, about treasure hunting! Since it’s a classic, you can also check out the Puffin Clothbound version here if you have a cover preference.
Great Pirate Books For Kids – Adventurous and Fun! Ahoy!
After exploring all these fun and fantastic pirate books for kids, you will certainly be experts in treasure hunting and sea navigating! Although it’s fun to find heaps of treasure, remember that the real gold lies in the lessons that these stories can teach about being brave and unique. I hope these books take you on a magical journey and inspire you to be your bravest, truest, and most imaginative self!
Happy reading!*
