The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found

By: Martin W. Sandler

Explore the exciting true story of the captaincy, wreck, and discovery of the Whydah —the only pirate ship ever found—and the incredible mysteries it revealed. Source notes. Bibliography. Index. Black-and-white photographs and reproductions of historical documents, illustrations, and maps.

ISBN: 9780763680336

JLG Release: Apr 2017

Sensitive Areas: Language: Mild Language, Violence: Mild Violence, Social Issue: Slavery in Historical Context, Violence: Strong Violence

Topics: The Whydah (ship) , Samuel Bellamy (c , 1689–1717) , Shipwrecks , Eighteenth-century U ,S , history , Sunken treasure , Pirates , Cape Cod, Massachusetts , Storms , Stolen goods , Legends and folklore , Diving , Archaeology , Underwater archaeology Historical artifacts

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Awards & Honors

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award 2018—2019 Nominee 2018 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist
ALSC Notable Children’s Books 2018, Older
2017 CYBILS Award Winner, Junior High Non-Fiction
School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2017, Nonfiction
New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2017

Praise & Reviews

Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Booklist, The Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal*

School Library Journal

[STARRED REVIEW]
Sandler dispels many popular pirate-related myths and offers a more realistic and factual view of the era of piracy in the New World. Instead of living in abject poverty at the mercy of kings and nobles, many men embraced piracy as a means to support their families and live a comfortable life, though one often filled wit [STARRED REVIEW]
Sandler dispels many popular pirate-related myths and offers a more realistic and factual view of the era of piracy in the New World. Instead of living in abject poverty at the mercy of kings and nobles, many men embraced piracy as a means to support their families and live a comfortable life, though one often filled with barbarous acts. The author weaves a fascinating story about piracy and the legendary 18th-century pirate ship Whydah, which sunk off the coast of Cape Cod on April 24, 1717, during a perfect storm. He delves into the fates of the few survivors, early salvage attempts by poor locals and wealthy governors alike, and the long-term work of explorer Barry Clifford to find the sunken ship. In 1985, Clifford and his crew discovered the inscribed galley bell of the Whydah, and for 30 years, divers, marine historians, and archaeologists have continued to retrieve artifacts from the ocean depths. Occasional sidebars on specific topics, such as the mythic origins of the Jolly Roger flag and artifact restoration, break up the narrative flow but do contain valuable information. Sandler’s approach to the Whydah and other submerged ships as “sunken time capsules” is an interesting angle that is sure to resonate with aspiring archaeologists. VERDICT A captivating read on pirates, with insights into contemporary underwater research techniques. Considering the popularity of the subject, this volume will likely not sit on shelves long.—Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State University, NH

Horn Book

“Black Sam” Bellamy was a greedy pirate captain, always searching for larger and faster ships. He lucked into sighting the Whydah—a slave ship known for its size and speed, “loaded with a fortune in gold [and] silver”—on its February 1717 return trip from Jamaica to England. Bellamy captured the vessel and “Black Sam” Bellamy was a greedy pirate captain, always searching for larger and faster ships. He lucked into sighting the Whydah—a slave ship known for its size and speed, “loaded with a fortune in gold [and] silver”—on its February 1717 return trip from Jamaica to England. Bellamy captured the vessel and transformed it into the most feared pirate ship of its day. But in April of that same year, during a devastating storm off the coast of Cape Cod, the Whydah sank; it lay on the ocean floor for 267 years until a team of treasure hunters and marine archaeologists found it in 1984. The excavation continues to this day, but the discoveries so far have been invaluable in helping reconstruct our knowledge of the “golden age” of piracy: “a period of unrestrained murder, robbery, and kidnapping on the high seas” that paradoxically also boasted a “spirit of democracy and equality.” Sandler enlivens the historical narrative by fleshing out the biographical details of the cast of characters, sharing (and occasionally debunking) various myths and legends, providing an overview of the relevant social and economic factors of the day, and spotlighting the work of excavating the shipwreck site. Useful photographs, maps, and sidebars are interspersed throughout, while source notes, bibliography, and index are appended. jonathan hunt

Book Details

ISBN

9780763680336

First Release

April 2017

Genre

Nonfic

Dewey Classification

910.4/5

Trim Size

7 1/8" x 9"

Page Count

176

Accelerated Reader

Level 8.3; Points: 5;

Scholastic Reading Counts

N/A

Lexile

Level 1270L

Format

Print Book

Edition

Hardcover edition

Publisher

Candlewick

Potentially Sensitive Areas

Language: Mild Language, Violence: Mild Violence, Social Issue: Slavery in Historical Context, Violence: Strong Violence

Topics

The Whydah (ship), Samuel Bellamy (c, 1689–1717), Shipwrecks, Eighteenth-century U,S, history, Sunken treasure, Pirates, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Storms, Stolen goods, Legends and folklore, Diving, Archaeology, Underwater archaeology, Historical artifacts