Captain Red

In the days when tall ships ruled the Atlantic and a single voyage could make a fortune - or end at the bottom of the sea - one name was spoken with equal parts fear and wonder: Captain Red.

Towering and red-bearded, feared from the merchant lanes of Virginia to the coast of Spain, Captain Red is no ordinary pirate. The gold he takes from treasure-laden ships never lines his own pockets - it sails home to a hidden island in the Caribbean, where his crew live as farmers and builders for half the year and share their plunder with the islanders who shelter them.

For Jonas Robinson, the dockside son of a merchant seaman, a life at sea is the only escape from the grim factories waiting to swallow boys his age. When he talks his way into a cabin boy's berth, he has no idea that earning his place aboard the Golden Lion will demand far more than knowing a bowsprit from a mainmast. He'll have to prove his honesty, his nerve, and his loyalty - and outlast a bigger, meaner rival who swears to make him pay.

Through howling storms, narrow escapes, and the thunder of cannon fire, Jonas learns the ropes, the stars, and a kind of courage that can't be taught on dry land. But the sea has a long memory, and an old enemy is waiting on the horizon.

A rousing high-seas adventure about honesty, bravery, and finding your place in the world, Captain Red is perfect for readers aged 8-12 and fans of classic pirate tales like Treasure Island.