12 Fun Pirate Books for Kids Wanting a High Seas Adventure

Arr, Mustache Baby! by Bridget Heos and Joy Ang

If you love Mustache Baby, you’ll love this pirate book – a household favorite in the series. Mustache Baby decides to set out on an adventure to be the best pirate baby and he brings his first mate, Beard Baby along with him!

Sheep on a Ship by Nancy E. Shaw

Sheep, ships, and rhymes….an adorable combination with very cute illustrations. This is one of my favorite pirate books for kids on this list.

DinoSailors by Deb Lund 

The dinosaurs are looking for adventure, but can they even keep their lunch down aboard their ship? With rhyming text and fascinating pictures, this children’s pirate book comes alive!

Pirates Go to School by Corrine Demas

Pirates head to school and they just can’t seem to understand the rules. If you have a pirate lover, they will adore this silly tale! My kids often pour over the funny illustrations in the best way. This one is harder to come by, so check your local library.

Why We Love This Book: Of all the stories on the list, I think this is the one my kids read the most for a great laugh.
Appropriate for ages 5-9
Find this book in: Back-to-School Books, Pirate Books for Kids

How I Became a Pirate by Molly Long & David Shannon

With the hilarious text and fantastic pictures, this children’s pirate book is sure to become a family favorite. It’s about a baby who thinks he will make a perfect pirate, but maybe pirate life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Captain Abdul’s Little Treasure by Colin McHaughton 

A pirate captain raises his baby and teaches him to be a pirate – but the baby always has the upper hand.

Eloise’s Pirate Adventure by Lisa McClatachy

The famous Eloise is the star of her own early reader book series. This particular story has everyone’s favorite Plaza resident dressing up as a pirate and searching for treasure.

Magic Treehouse: Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborne

Number 4 in the Magic Treehouse Series, Jack and Annie arrive in the time of pirates on the high seas.  Will they find a treasure and outsmart the pirates or be forced to walk the plank?

Puppy Pirates #1: Stowaway by Erin Soderbergh

This adorable series combines puppies and pirates for fun adventures.  It’s about Wally and his quest to be the best pirate puppy! With seven books in the series so far, the fun can continue for your early reader.

Pirateology: The Pirate Hunter’s Companions by Captain William Lubber

This book is written like a ship’s log for a pirate hunter filled with pictures and great information. This book is sure to be a huge hit for any pirate lover.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Berry

This Peter Pan retelling finds Peter aboard a ship of sailors. He and a bunch of other orphans aboard the ship have to protect a treasure locked in a chest hidden on the ship from pirate captain Black Stache.

Think of this as the origin story of Tinkerbell, her fairy dust, and how Peter gained his ability to fly. It’s one of our favorite fairy tale retellings and is the perfect book for a 13-year-old. We are sure that any age will love this YA fantasy novel.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

This swashbuckling tale of piracy and treasure is perfect for children and adults alike. Long John Silver is quite a scary villain, whose legacy lives on in Halloween costumes everywhere.

One-legged, parrot-wearing, map-loving pirates everywhere can thank Robert Louis Stevenson for the inspiration. Why not read this book set in Cornwall to your little buccaneer at bedtime?

Find this book in Pirate Books / Best Classic Books / Books Set in Cornwall