A fun, read-aloud pirate story that will be a favourite with educators.

Set in the misty waters around Halifax Harbour, this fun read-aloud pirate story follows the adventures of a terrible, horrible, smelly pirate named Sydney and his friend Parrot Polly. After answering a riddle set by a tricky mermaid the rascals dig for treasure by the old lighthouse on McNab's Island. Children will enjoy the anticipation as the chest is raised to the surface, and the surprise as its unexpected contents are revealed. The clean and dirty theme will make this book a circle time favourite with many daycare and library programmers. Parents will love it too.

For Jacqueline Halsey, growing up in post war London meant walking to school past numerous bombsites and listening to her mother's stories about food rationing and air raids. Consequently, she always admired the courage of women and children coping with the tasks of everyday life in wartime situations. This courage inspired Peggy's Letters, Jacqueline's first book.

After High School she went to art college in Worthing, Sussex and then much later obtained a BA degree at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, which she attended as a mature student.

Jacqueline loves traveling and has visited many countries, including South Africa where she lived in a sugar mill village for four years.
She currently works in the Alderney Gate library in Halifax. Her days are filled with books, rhymes, puppets and lots of children to share them with. Jacqueline lives with her husband Ray, her granddaughter Ashlee, two cats and a very old goldfish in a house by a lake in Nova Scotia - a very different place from Peggy's war torn neighborhood. She is part of the Writer's Federation of Nova Scotia's 'Writer's in the School Program.' Her visits to schools are booked through them.

Jacqueline has a web page on the Writer's Federation of Nova Scotia website: http://www.writers.ns.ca/Writers/jhalsey.html.
Peggy's Letters (Oct 2005) published by Orca Books.
Nominated for: Hackmatack 2007 Children's Choice award; Rocky Mountain 2007 Children's Choice award; Silver Birch (Express) 2007 Children's Choice award; Woozle's Battle of the Books 2007 list

The Gran Plan
Placed third in the 2003 Atlantic Writing Competition/ Joyce Barkhouse award for Children's Literature. (Un published manuscripts) Subsequently, it was published (Fall 2006) by Scholastic as part of their Literacy Place for the Early Years school reading program.

Jacqueline Halsey's profile page

Carrie Muller lives in Dartmouth, NS where she's settling into retired life with her husband Doug. After a long, varied career with Halifax Public Libraries she's now enjoying more time spent with family, boating, sea glass hunting and walking the many local lake trails and beaches. Reading, journaling, and planning the next Big Travel Adventure keep her occupied most days. Carrie is co-author of the popular Terrible, Horrible, Smelly Pirate and is excited to be collaborating again with Jacqueline on Pirate's continuing adventures.

Carrie Muller's profile page

Eric Orchard is the illustrator of several books, including The Terrible, Horrible, Smelly Pirate. He won the Halifax Mayor's Award for Book Illustration and his work has been included in the Society of Illustrator's Annual competition and exhibition. Eric lives in Toronto.

Eric Orchard's profile page

• Short-listed, Atlantic Book Awards, Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration
• Winner, Halifax Mayor's Award for Excellence in Book Illustration