Best Children’s Books about Pirates (2026): 5 Compared

The best children’s books about pirates are the ones that sail off the page: all five of these are pirate books for young readers. We compared five books by what each Amazon listing states: pages, reading age, format and publication date, so you can pick the right one for your reader.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	How I Became a Pirate	9.8/10	Buy
2	The Pirates Next Door	9.8/10	Buy
3	Pete the Cat Treasure Map	9.7/10	Buy
4	Goodnight Pirate	9.7/10	Buy
5	Berenstain Bears Pirate	9.7/10	Buy

1

How I Became a Pirate

Melinda Long·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A pirate picture book, 44 pages, ages 3 to 6.

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Pros

• 44 pages stated
• Ages 3 to 6 stated
• Melinda Long stated

Cons

• 2003 edition
• Reprint
• Harcourt

2

The Pirates Next Door

Jonny Duddle·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A pirate picture book, 44 pages, ages 3 to 5.

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Pros

• 44 pages stated
• Ages 3 to 5 stated
• Jonny Duddle stated

Cons

• 2012 edition
• Book 1 of 2
• Templar

3

Pete the Cat Treasure Map

James Dean·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Pete the Cat book, 24 pages, ages 3 to 6.

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Pros

• 24 pages stated
• Ages 3 to 6 stated
• James Dean stated

Cons

• 2017 edition
• 24 pages, short
• Stickers

4

Goodnight Pirate

Michelle Robinson·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A pirate bedtime book, 32 pages, ages 2 to 4.

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Pros

• 32 pages stated
• Ages 2 to 4 stated
• Michelle Robinson stated

Cons

• 2015 edition
• Bedtime focus
• Sourcebooks

5

Berenstain Bears Pirate

Mike Berenstain·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A Berenstain Bears book, 24 pages, ages 4 to 8.

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Pros

• 24 pages stated
• Ages 4 to 8 stated
• Mike Berenstain stated

Cons

• 2016 edition
• 24 pages, short
• HarperCollins

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More picks to compare

• How to Be a PirateSuits readers wanting a 24-page Golden Book, 2014.Check on Amazon
• Pirate Pups!Suits readers wanting a Paw Patrol book, 24 pages.Check on Amazon
• Pirate BoySuits readers wanting a 32-page book, 2012.Check on Amazon
• How to Be a PirateSuits readers wanting a 40-page book, 2020.Check on Amazon
• Shiver Me LettersSuits readers wanting a 32-page ABC book, 2009.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Listing details as published, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs pirate fit, story, depth, safety and warranty. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best children’s books about pirates

Reading age

Ages run from 2 to 4 (Goodnight Pirate) to 4 to 8 (Berenstain Bears), with 3 to 5 and 3 to 6 in between. See our picture books for more young readers.

Pages

Pages run from 24 (Pete the Cat, Berenstain Bears) to 44 (How I Became a Pirate, The Pirates Next Door), with 32 in between. Pick the length that fits your reader.

Format

Four of the five are picture books; Goodnight Pirate is a bedtime book. Pick the format that fits your shelf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is 44 pages?

How I Became a Pirate and The Pirates Next Door.

Which is Pete the Cat?

Pete the Cat and the Treasure Map.

Which is bedtime?

Goodnight Pirate.

Which is Berenstain Bears?

The Berenstain Bears Pirate Adventure.

Still deciding? Our top pickHow I Became a Pirate

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