• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7

A shy boy comes to life and finds his voice when the ghosts of seven dead pirates appear in his bedroom. A humorous, inspiring, critically acclaimed adventure!

Lewis Dearborn is a lonely, anxious, "terminally shy" boy of eleven when his great-grandfather passes away and leaves Lewis's family with his decaying seaside mansion. Lewis is initially delighted with his new bedroom, a secluded tower in a remote part of the house. Then he discovers that it's already occupied -- by the ghosts of seven dead pirates. Worse, the ghosts expect him to help them re-take their ship, now restored and on display in a local museum, so they can make their way to Libertalia, a legendary pirate utopia. The only problem is that this motley crew hasn't left the house in almost two hundred years and is terrified of going outside. As Lewis warily sets out to assist his new roommates -- a raucous, unruly bunch who exhibit a strange delight in thrift-store fashions and a thirst for storybooks -- he begins to open himself to the possibilities of friendship, passion and joie de vivre and finds the courage to speak up.

Linda Bailey a jonglé longtemps avec l'idée d'écrire, mais ce n'est qu'après avoir eu ses deux filles qu'elle a lancé sa carrière d'auteure. Elle a écrit des albums, des romans et aussi des livres informatifs. Linda a beaucoup voyagé dans sa vie et ses livres aussi! Certains sont publiés en Chine, en Corée, en Australie, en Grèce, en Pologne et dans de nombreux autres pays.

Linda Bailey has written more than twenty books for children in a number of different genres, including the best-selling Stanley-the-dog series, Toads on Toast, and most recently, If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur (Si jamais tu avais un dinosaure...). Linda has garnered a long list of honours in Canada such as the Ontario Blue Spruce Award, the Atlantic Provinces Hackmatack Award and the Arthur Ellis Award. She lives in Vancouver, BC.

Linda Bailey's profile page

• Nominated, Chocolate Lily Award
• Long-listed, Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award
• Nominated, Rocky Mountain Book Award
• Nominated, New Hampshire Great Stone Face Children's Book Award
• Short-listed, Red Cedar Book Award
• Short-listed, Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize
• Nominated, Silver Birch Award for Fiction
• Long-listed, Maine Student Book Award
• Short-listed, Diamond Willow Award
• Nominated, Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award
• Long-listed, OLA Best Bets for Children's Fiction
• Short-listed, Canadian Library Association - Book of the Year for Children

“Bailey endows Lewis with several scene-stealing allies (notably a fierce kindergartener) and leaves him confidently steering a course toward calm waters. Piratical fun well-stocked with colorful cast members living and arrghh.” - Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“This rollicking tale moves apace with a vivid setting, surprising depth, great humor, and memorable characters. Readers will root for Lewis as he finds his sea legs and the courage to make friends, both spectral and human. VERDICT Ahoy, ye maties: don’t miss this treasure of a middle grade yarn.” - Starred Review, School Library Journal
“It is Bailey’s extraordinary skill as a storyteller that keeps the entire fantastical premise, and its meaningful undercurrent, from ever straying into the unbelievable. Seven Dead Pirates is a story that flows almost like magic .... At times earnest, at times playful, and always infused with the power of imagination, Seven Dead Pirates is a rollicking and exciting story that will entertain and enlighten in equal amounts.” - CM Magazine
“The larger-than-life (afterlife?) pirates are the perfect foil to introverted Lewis. Bailey paints them with broad strokes, but her caricatures are filled with a whole lotta heart. It’s unlikely that every shy kid will have seven dead pirates at their disposal to teach them how to believe in themselves, but they can have Bailey’s book, which is a pretty nice alternative.” - National Post
“…I enjoyed this story right from the start…one of the best openings I have read in a long time…Lewis tackles his problems and wins my affection as a true hero moving on his journey... I give this story a five out of possible five.”
- Midwest Book Review