fun

“Ahoy, matey!”

Yes, it is International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

September 19 is the day to jump ship, wear a bandana and talk salty!. Created by two friends  as a fun inside joke this day has grown to spread around the world and reflect on the Golden Age of Piracy. Peppered with odd phrases, funny accents and eye patches this is like Halloween without the gore.

So, with that thought in mind, rather than walk around with a peg leg and a parrot, sounding like you should be on the poop deck why not just read a pirate book instead? There are (not surprisingly) quite a few to choose from for all ages and stages of readers.

If you have little buccaneers in your life, or you want to relive the delight of children’s picture books,  there is the truly wonderful “How I Became A Pirate” by Belinda Long and David Shannon with a charming story and such exciting images you can’t help but love pirates.

Or the how about the charming “Pirates Don’t Change Diapers” also by Long and Shannon. And don’t be fooled……… these books are fun for adults too!!

If you want something a little more challenging middle school, YA and adult readers can dive into two excellent classics from years gone by.

“Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe and “Treasure Island” by  Robert Louis Stevenson are both works of classic literature that have stood the test of time and are loved. A little out of fashion now these books tell the tales of shipwreck, islands,pirates and much more. In their heyday they were no other fictional accounts to read and these were the rites of passage for young readers. While you won’t be able to get through these today (unless you do nothing else but read) they are worth the investment of time.

Looking for something a little heavier on  facts, rather than fiction two great books will give you everything you need to find out what pirates were all about.

“Pirate” from the DK Eyewitness Books series is jam packed with pictures, facts, lore and so much more. Not a book that you have to read from cover to cover you can delve into various sections (or the whole book) and come away loaded with information. Packed with great images you will have a much clearer understanding or pirates, and what being cutthroat really is. Definitely worth getting if you love the sea, want to know about pirates or just curious about history.

“Pirateology” is a one of those great books to give, and get, as gifts. With the sub-title of “The Pirate Hunters Companion” this magical book straddles fact, fiction and fantasy. Full of maps, letters (that you can pull out and read) this is a great book to look at and pour over. Wonderful for any age.

If you haven’t got the time to delve into a book stop by your library and borrow one of the really enjoyable “Pirates Of The Caribbean” movies. Classics, entertaining and really enjoyable. However, you spend the day take a moment to join in the fun, have some awe for those plunderers of the sea and check out one of these great books or movies and enjoy a day that can gives you the reason to have fun.