We have read a few books about pirates recently and came across this one. Written with beginning readers in mind, it is a concise book about Pirates, with lots of information on who they were, what they did and how they lived. It's a bit graphic in its descriptions; discussing marooning, depicting the quartermaster giving lashes for punishment and sword fighting, discussing torture, and explaining how convicted pirates were often hung and then put on display in specially designed cages. Sheesh! Our girls didn't seem to be too phased by this, though, and I'm sure boys of the 1st-2nd grade set would love it. I feel there's a bit of a disconnect between the content and the reading level, but perhaps I'm too sensitive.