The Ultimate Pirate Handbook    by Libby Hamilton, Mathieu Leyssenne & Jason Kraft Order:  USA  Can Templar, 2016 (2016) Hardcover      Reviewed by Bob Walch There are plenty of pirate books available for young readers but this special, interactive volume featuring flaps hiding information is filled with lots of interesting facts about the life of a buccaneer. The book opens with a section entitled 'So You Want to be a Pirate?', which explains how to muster a crew and what types of jobs are available aboard a pirate ship. Next, you'll discover a full illustration of a pirate ship with its key parts highlighted. Look behind the flap and you'll also see the inside of the vessel from the shot locker and ballast area to the captain's cabin. What's a pirate's life like? You'll find out in the next part that delves into food, cramped crew quarters and 'filthy shipmates'. The toilet facilities might be a bit of a surprise too! As you keep reading you'll learn about pirate weapons, clothing and pirate jargon as well as how ship discipline is maintained. There's also material on physical problems (dysentery, scurvy, etc.) pirates must deal with and treasure plus ghost ships and funerals at sea. The concluding pages of the book present a Pirate Hall of Fame. Here you'll meet a few notables such as Blackbeard, Ching Shih, Henry Morgan, Mary Read, Sir Francis Drake and Black Bart. If pirates fascinate your child or grandchild, this is a must purchase. Youngsters four years of age and older will have fun absorbing all the information in this excellent book. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews