History of pirates as told through a young boy's eyes when he helps a Naval Lt. go after Blackbeard. This is not for young children. It does get a bit gory at the end as Blackbeard is captured and brought to justice. I liked that what was legal and the wrongness of the actions were explained at the end of the book. A good way to interest a child in history. ( )

Summary: This children's book tells the story of the infamous pirate Blackbeard and his mighty crew through the eyes of a young sailor's son. This young boy goes on a mission with ships the Jane and the Ranger to find and kill Blackbeard to stop his horrible ways. The story focuses on the battle between the pirates and the Americans and the ultimate death of the famous buccaneer.

Argument: There are many reasons that I felt this was a good book for children to read in an elementary school classroom. First, I enjoyed the illustrations. These illustrations really helped capture the essence of the time period and the clothing and appearance of the Americans and the pirates. It also helps the readers see what the pirate and American ships looked like and the reenactment of a famous sea battle. Secondly, I enjoyed the amount of actual historical information that was in this story. While the book may be fictitious, the history behind the story is all true and it is important for young children to know that. For example, on pages 9 and 10 it mentions the actual names of the ships involved in Blackbeard's battle, "Jane, Ranger, and the Adventure". The last part of this story that I enjoyed was the author's note in the back of the book. This may not seem like much but it gives accurate historical information of the legend of Blackbeard and his crew. It is a way for children to compare the story to the historical event.
The main message of this children's book is to inform readers about the legend and mystery behind the pirate Blackbeard and his adventures on the open seas. The story flows nicely with a significant plot that is not crammed too much with historical information. ( )