Twelve year-old Lillian Bates hates her little brother and faces losing him. She struggles to love. She hesitates against her own caution to do something but does it anyway, wondering why her urge to do it is so strong. Lillian's journey to be more loving is set in 1884 at a remote island lighthouse. With her siblings and cousins, she sifts through cryptic clues on a weather-torn shipwreck. A gruff "pirate" captain and his questionable crew are forces Lillian must battle. Three loving caretakers who live at a charming cottage a mile from the lighthouse help the children as they unravel an island mystery. Humor and misunderstandings pepper the lively events. Finally, Lillian makes an important discovery. She realizes how important it is to know what makes her do the things she does. Her new-found love melts the hatred in her heart. She discovers that God has created her to be a unique light to shine on those living in darkness. Most importantly, Lillian understands that love is a Fruit of the Spirit meant not just for her but for all. Based on the Fruit of the Spirit Galations 5:22-23 See how each Fruit of the Spirit is discovered in the lives and adventures of the nine Children of the Light. The first book of the series focuses on love. Nine kids. Nine gifts. Nine blessed. Childrenofthelightbooks.com

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY CHICAGO TRIBUNE • A thrilling adventure of danger and deep-sea diving, historic mystery and suspense, by the author of Shadow Divers Finding and identifying a pirate ship is the hardest thing to do under the sea. But two men—John Chatterton and John Mattera—are willing to risk everything to find the Golden Fleece, the ship of the infamous pirate Joseph Bannister. At large during the Golden Age of Piracy in the seventeenth century, Bannister should have been immortalized in the lore of the sea—his exploits more notorious than Blackbeard’s, more daring than Kidd’s. But his story, and his ship, have been lost to time. If Chatterton and Mattera succeed, they will make history—it will be just the second time ever that a pirate ship has been discovered and positively identified. Soon, however, they realize that cutting-edge technology and a willingness to lose everything aren’t enough to track down Bannister’s ship. They must travel the globe in search of historic documents and accounts of the great pirate’s exploits, face down dangerous rivals, battle the tides of nations and governments and experts. But it’s only when they learn to think and act like pirates—like Bannister—that they become able to go where no pirate hunters have gone before. Fast-paced and filled with suspense, fascinating characters, history, and adventure, Pirate Hunters is an unputdownable story that goes deep to discover truths and souls long believed lost. Praise for Pirate Hunters “You won’t want to put [it] down.”—Los Angeles Times “An exceptional adventure . . . Highly recommended to readers who delight in adventure, suspense, and the thrill of discovering history at their fingertips.”—Library Journal (starred review) “A terrific read . . . The book gallops along at a blistering pace, shifting us deftly between the seventeenth century and the present day.”—Diver “Nonfiction with the trademarks of a novel: the plots and subplots, the tension and suspense . . . [Kurson has] found gold.”—The Dallas Morning News “Rollicking . . . a fascinating [story] about the world of pirates, piracy, and priceless treasures.”—The Boston Globe “[Kurson’s] narration is just as engrossing as the subject.”—The Christian Science Monitor “A wild ride [and an] extraordinary adventure . . . Kurson’s own enthusiasm, combined with his copious research and an eye for detail, makes for one of the most mind-blowing pirate stories of recent memory, one that even the staunchest landlubber will have a hard time putting down.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “The two contemporary pirate-ship seekers of Mr. Kurson’s narrative are as daring, intrepid, tough and talented as Blood and Sparrow—and Bannister. . . . As depicted by the author, they are real-life Hemingway heroes.”—The Wall Street Journal “[Kurson] takes his knowledge of the underwater world and applies it to the ‘Golden Age of Piracy’ . . . thrillingly detailing the highs and lows of chasing not just gold and silver but also history.”—Booklist “A great thriller full of tough guys and long odds . . . and: It’s all true.”—Lee Child

The boobk covers the world of Pirates: ships and seafaring, maps, weapons, larger than life characters and larger than life stories are vividly presented.

While looking at the stars one night on Cobblestone Island, eleven-year-old Julia Bates and her twelve-year-old sister, Lillian, overhear a shocking conversation. They hear a man and woman whisper about making harmful concoctions. Later they discover in the woods a crude little building full of bubbling pots containing dangerous brew. They are terrified when they look on the cauldrons and see, written in chalk, the names of people they know and love. Events come to a thrilling climax on the evening of a lunar eclipse. Ten-year-old Paulina Bates and her twelve-year-old brother, Luke, witness something horrifying. They rush off during the night to investigate. With the help of their three friends from Cottage Parakaleó. Julia and Paulina each make an important discovery. See how each Fruit of the Spirit is discovered in the lives and adventures of the nine Children of the Light. The second book in the series focuses on joy and peace. Nine kids. Nine gifts. Nine blessed.

During the middle decade of the 16th century a new type of sailing vessel emerged, designed to carry the wealth of the Americas to Spain. This was the galleon, and over the next century these vessels would serve Spain well as treasure ships and warships, becoming a symbol of Spanish power and wealth during the period. The development and construction of the Spanish galleon are discussed in this book, and the ordnance and crewing needed to produce and maintain these stately vessels is covered. The author also examines the role of the galleon as a treasure ship, and describes how these ships were manned and fought in action.

Can a pirate and a prince learn to share? In the fort in the woods, a prince is preparing his castle for a lively feast for the royal kingdom. Unbeknownst to him, a pirate uses the same fort as her ship, planning to venture out to the open seas in search of treasure. But when a treasure map appears on the prince’s party invitations, and the pirate finds that her sword has turned into a scepter, they realize there is an intruder in the castle—no, ship! Soon, a battle over the fort between the adversaries ensues, leading to a humorous showdown. When they make amends, their amazing imaginations come up with a new adventure...together. Kids will revel in the spirited and imaginative battle and be thrilled by the turn of events. Dynamic and charismatic illustrations bring this witty tale and its celebration of sharing and teamwork to life.

After the death of his father and two sisters and the unlawful arrest of his mother, twelve year- old Peter Barons joins a band of orphans known as the Black Dragons, a young pirate crew who scavenges ships in their country of Kirkston. These so-called pirates use the stolen goods to help feed, clothe, and protect the innocent townsfolk against the kings harsh rule. In the Black Dragon tradition, Peter adopts the nickname Smith, and at age seventeen, Smith, an expert swordsman, becomes captain of the Black Dragons. He and his crew handily defeat their foes, but their greatest battle rests within the palace walls as the general, John Stevenson, threatens the livelihood of the country. Smiths crew concocts a bold plan to rid the country of the wicked Stevensona plan that involves the kidnapping of Princess Kathleen, the kings only daughter. Any mistakes could turn the entire country against the Black Dragons, whose only goal is to help the people of Kirkston survive. Battle-ready, the Black Dragons forge some unusual alliances in order to foil Stevenson, reclaim Kirkston, and save a crew member from the hangmans rope.