This year Big Bro has become increasingly interested in reading non-fiction books. Our local library has a large children's non-fiction section so I've been including a few books from there in our borrowings. A few weeks ago I found the picture-heavy Famous People Famous Lives: Francis Drake (Emma Fischel) in the history section. I couldn't remember much about Francis Drake other than he was a revered explorer, and the first Englishman to sail around the world. When Big Bro and I curled up to read, my view of Drake quickly changed- certainly what I had rembered was correct, but I hadn't remembered that Drake made his fortune plundering treasure from Spanish ships and waging war against the Armada, avenging similar piracy on behalf of the Spanish fleet. It wasn't the story of bravery and innovation that I was expecting, and I spent as much time explaining to Big Bro how Francis Drake's actions weren't very nice as I spent reading the book! Our next library books went along much safer ground: garbage collectors and the Wright brothers. And we certainly won't be reading about Henry VIII any time soon!
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Remember November?
4 years ago
4 comments:
I am always amazed by how child-friendly pirates are portrayed as. I was particularly appalled by the Pirates on the Carribean ride at Disneyland a few years ago, most of which consists of raping, burning and pillaging (literally!) of idyllic island villages, to the tune of happy music!
Yes- pirates have definitely been over-romanticised! I am sure very few parents would want their children emulating the exploits of current-day pirates.
Do you read Alexander McCall Smith? I think it was in the second Scotland Street book that one of the characters goes to Malaysia to study a village of pirates, and amidst high drama is taken to see their hideout. She peeps through the window to see...... (spoiler coming!)..... a CD factory!
I have only read the Number One Ladies Detective Agency(s), may have to investigate his other ones.
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