A witness claimed this was not a spontaneous uprising but “a Design for some Considerable time past,” as the ringleaders had kept “a pyratt in their houses and threatened any that will offer to seize him.” This book could be used to inspire creative writing. The children could be encouraged to use their imaginations to write their own story about who might move in next door to them and the effect that this would have on their neighbours! The book could be great inspiration for a literacy lesson as children could create their own pirate themed stories. It may further be used during a carpet time session to discuss the features of friendship and negative stereotyping. This could then be incorporated into a PSHE session about relationships, friendships and the wider community. Within the younger years this could be approached during a circle time session.

Imagine that Tilda stowed away on the Jolley-Rogers’ ship when they left. Write a diary entry from her point of view. I really enjoyed this book! I though that it was a great book with a great story as well as a good theme (moral?). I love how it rhymed and that it helped me to start better understand comic reading. I also loved that it is really good at teaching children that other people will have different opinions about others, but you can form your own opinions still, without judgement. a unique race, born of the sea and of a brutal dream, a free people, detached from other human societies and from the future, without children and without old people, without homes and without cemeteries, without hope but not with- out audacity, a people for whom atrocity was a career choice and death a certitude of the day after tomorrow. For the period before the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, it makes more sense to talk about a sailor who commits piracy, rather than an actual “pirate.” Imagine a ten-year-old boy caught stealing candy from the store. If he learned his lesson, it would be ludicrous to call him a “thief” when he reached adulthood. If he goes on to get a PhD and becomes a respectable historian, it makes more sense to call him “professor.” Certainly there were flamboyant captains of legendary status who would never consider legitimate commerce as a way of life. But most sought one large prize and hoped to use their plunder to join the middling to upper echelons of colonial society.Governor Hamilton had felt that his life was in danger. Had the Bordens been killed in the melee, he said, the mob would have murdered him. As it was, he was confined for four days until Butterworth was free and clear. The JRs bring with them a pirate ship with treasure chests and barrels full of grog, which causes consternation among the neighbours especially when the Dad continually shouts 'Oo-Arr!' Grandpa stays on the ship drinking while a three-year-old 'Urchin' called Nugget is very rascally. Create an alternative version of the story in which a different family move into the house next door to Tilda’s house (e.g. a group of aliens or a family of astronauts). Write a list of similarities and differences between Jim Lad and ‘normal’ girls and boys. Why do Tilda’s family want her to be friends with normal children? I think this is a great book and is suitable for years 1-3 in school. The illustrations are brilliant, exciting and add to the amusing nature of the story. It’s great to read aloud to a class of children and practicing pirate accents are a must! Rhyme is featured throughout the book which is an additional feature that makes it perfect to read aloud.

Carry out some role-play activities based on the characters in the book. Carry out some interviews to find out how each character feels at different points in the story. I would recommend this book to a year 2 class in terms of being able to understand the language and concepts used. The book would still however provide adequate challenge for this age group.The true rebels were leaders like Samuel Willet, establishment figures on land who led riots against crown authority. It was the higher reaches of colonial society, from governors to merchants, who supported global piracy, not some underclass or proto proletariat. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana she is married and has two daughters. She and her husband, David, live in McLean, Virginia and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.