The Day the Pirates Went Mad

THE DAY THE PIRATES WENT MAD takes place at the turn of the 18th century and the Golden Age of Piracy is just around the corner. Follow the adventures of eleven-year-old Emma Sharpe as she learns to sail the sea, bonds with her shipmates, and then must save them all from a cursed pirate treasure before it’s too late!

[Warning: Some readers may find the descriptions of discovered deceased pirates disturbing.]

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THE DAY THE PIRATES WENT MAD is an entertaining ‘cozy’ historical fiction that also conveys a ‘boatload’ of learning about the life and times of those sailing the seas 300 years ago, during the Age of Sail.

Intended for grades 5-7, this story can also be suitable for sharing with younger grades when supported by an adult. You know your kids best!

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BONUS: Check out our teaching resources linked to scenes and events from the story. Gain insight and help deepen understanding of life at the turn of the 18th century through our activities and discussion prompts around recipes, vocabulary, navigation, math, literature, ships, places, medicine, people, events, technology, and more.

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Author’s Note: Inspired by R.L. Stevenson’s novel “Treasure Island” and Y.E. Allison’s poem “Derelict”, I originally intended Emma’s adventure to be a short story for my daughter, peppered with nuggets of knowledge about real life during the Age of Sail and the Golden Age of Piracy in particular. The tale soon ballooned into something more as I found myself diving down one research rabbit hole after another. Now, I hope THE DAY THE PIRATES WENT MAD will help inspire readers to do some research of their own and uncover the real stories of our shared history.