The Legend of Roberto Cofresi - A Puerto Rican Hero

The Legend of Roberto Cofresí dates back to the 1800s and started in the town of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Numerous myths and legendary stories have been written about him and his transformation from a life of merchant sailor to corsair. He was one of the bravest and most compassionate corsairs of his time. Cofresí is renowned as the Robin Hood of Puerto Rico because of his generosity towards the poor people of Puerto Rico during a time of famine. For this reason, the people of Puerto Rico pledged their loyalty to him and protected him from the authorities until his eventual capture in 1825.

Janet Balletta is a mother, bilingual K-2 teacher, and promoter of multicultural books with good values. She is a native New Yorker of Colombian and Puerto Rican descent. Janet holds degrees in Elementary Education and Educational Leadership. She is a member of the Florida Writers Association, Saint Lucie County Reading Council, and Latino Literacy Now. Janet is the winner of the Mariposa Award from the International Latino Book Awards for her children's book "The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid" translated into Spanish as "La Leyenda de la Sirena Colombiana." She lives in Florida with her husband and hopes her books will inspire children to develop an appreciation for multicultural literature.