Whiskers and the Pieces of Eight

By Pauline Mackay and Dylan Gibson

Pirates may not usually plunder museums for treasure but that is exactly what is going to happen in this pirate tale. When an ancient coin is delivered to Inverness Museum and lands in Kate the Curator's hand, it activates the drop of pirate blood running through her veins. Kate begins turning into Cap'n Kate, assisted by the increasingly sinister Needles, who comes to life from one of the museum's paintings.

Who can stop the Jacobite jewels, Viking valuables and other wonderful treasures from being loaded onto a ghostly pirate ship? The only hope seems to lie with Whiskers, the water vole, who comes to life from the Freshwater Display, but he is being hunted by Talons, the tawny owl.

Detailed black and white illustrations bring the story to life. Glossary included to explain tricky words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ablekids Press
• Release date: Jun 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781910280171

Pauline Mackay

PAULINE MACKAY is Lecturer in Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow. She has published widely in Burns studies and has carried out research at major Burns collections in the UK and abroad. She has worked closely with Burns Scotland (the Scottish National Burns Collection), national and international media, and Scotland’s Winter Festivals to further knowledge of Burns: his life, works and phenomenal ‘afterlife’. She recently hosted the podcast series #TaeTheBard. Pauline lives in Glasgow with her husband and two young children.

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