Jean Laffite was a known pirate/privateer, and his adventurous life is what made him a known figure in history. At a young age Jean always wanted to be a pirate, but his grandmother didn't want to hear a word of this. As Jean grew older, he ended up being a pirate and eventually became a privateer. He worked alongside his brother and his uncle, and soon this was the only life he knew. Jean goes through many obstacles, and eventually lands in New Orleans. He was well-respected and continued to be a pirate. As we progress through the story, we learn that Jean was the main reason the United States won the War of 1812.

I had no idea that Jean Lafitte was the coolest pirate ever. I kind of have a crush on him now? I'm not sure what that is about. It was really cool to see names that we always talk about in New Orleans (i.e. Claiborne, Grand Isle, etc.). I think this would be interesting for kids to read too because they have all heard these names before. I was captivated by the things I learned in this book, but I was not a fan of the illustrations. I would love to learn more about Jean Laffite, and this book made me proud to be a native of New Orleans. ( )

Very interesting. Explains how/why pirates came into being. Not a favorite for this award, though. ( )

An interesting biography of the pirate who helped win the Battle of New Orleans. I had no idea he was Jewish and that there were a good number of Jewish bucaneers. The illustrations are a bit too stylized for my taste. ( )