A Spy Called James: The True Story of James Lafayette, Revolutionary War Double Agent

by Anne Rockwell, Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)

Overview

Told for the first time in picture book form is the true story of James Lafayette—an enslaved person who spied for George Washington's army during the American Revolution.

After his resounding defeat at the battle of Yorktown, British general Charles Cornwallis made a point of touring the American camp, looking for the reason behind his loss. What he didn’t expect to see was James, an escaped enslaved person who had served as a guide to the British army. Or at least that’s what Cornwallis was led to believe. In fact, James wasn’t actually a runaway—he was a spy for the American army.

But while America celebrated its newfound freedom, James returned to slavery in Virginia. His service as a spy hadn't qualified him for the release he'd been hoping for. For James the fight wasn't over; his next adversary was the Virginia General Assembly. He'd already helped his country gain its freedom, now it was time to win his own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467749336
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/01/2016
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	528,137
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	940L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 11 Years

About the Author

Anne Rockwell is the author of Hey, Charleston!:The True Story of the Jenkins Orphanage Band, which was a Junior Library Guild Selection. She lives in Stamford, Connecticut.

Floyd Cooper (1956-2021) was a Coretta Scott King Award winner and illustrator of numerous books for children including Ruth and the Green Book, A Spy Called James, and Max and the Tag-Along Moon. Unspeakable, one of his final picture books, was a National Book Award longlist title, a Sibert Honor book, and a Caldecott Honor book. He received a degree in fine arts from the University of Oklahoma and went on to develop a distinctive art technique called oil erasure.

Editorial Reviews

09/05/2016
Rockwell (Hey, Charleston!) delivers a striking portrait of James Lafayette, an African-American spy critical to the outcome of the Revolutionary War. Enslaved by a Virginia farmer and known only as James, he worked with the French general Marquis de Lafayette (whose surname James later adopted) in exchange for freedom. Pretending to be a runaway slave, James infiltrated British troops, and “information he passed to Lafayette allowed the colonial army to trap Cornwallis at Yorktown.” The succinct narrative explains a complicated wartime story using a conversational tone (General Lafayette is “the French general with names to spare”). Cooper’s (Ira’s Shakespeare Dream) appealing oil-and-erasure illustrations affirm his skill as a gifted portrait artist. Settings recede into the background as close-ups of James, George Washington, Charles Cornwallis, and others bring emotion to the tale, revealing feelings of dejection, pride, and determination. Final pages and an author’s note explain how James continued to fight for his freedom several years after the war and how Lafayette aided him in securing it. Ages 7–11. Author’s agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Rockwell's detailed yet accessible text is perfectly matched with Cooper's exceptional oil paintings. . . . A profoundly successful work."—starred, School Library Journal

From the Publisher

★ 11/01/2016
Gr 2–5—Rockwell's detailed yet accessible text is perfectly matched with Cooper's exceptional oil paintings in this picture book biography. Using a muted color palette and done in a grainy style, the art imparts a sense of historical drama in each spread and expertly draws readers into James Lafayette's remarkable story. Rockwell wastes no words, beginning right away with General Cornwallis's defeat at the Battle of Yorktown and his discovery that a guide for the British army was in fact a double agent, a slave working as a spy for the Americans. (Rockwell discloses enough background information on the Revolutionary War to keep kids grounded.) Students will learn that although James provided an invaluable service to the Americans, he was denied his freedom after the war ended until General Lafayette intervened (back matter notes that James petitioned for his freedom on his own and was initially denied by the general assembly). In a triumphant last spread, the former spy, now James Lafayette, appears at the forefront of a landscape with bold red text proclaiming, "James Lafayette was finally free." VERDICT A profoundly successful work. Pair this with Stephen Krensky's Hanukkah at Valley Forge and Laurie Halse Anderson's Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution for a well-rounded, multicultural look at the American Revolution.—Jennifer Steib Simmons, Anderson County Library, SC

School Library Journal

2016-07-26
Built from an exhaustive search of a mostly unwritten history, Rockwell’s account recasts the American Revolution from the experience of one of the courageous thousands who fought to gain independence from British rule—an independence that did not equate to freedom for the enslaved black population. While it is popularly known that many more Africans fought alongside the British than the patriots, here Rockwell introduces James, who, upon hearing that an enslaved man could gain his freedom by fighting for the Colonies, volunteers and spies on Gen. Cornwallis. The intelligence James gathers is critical to the decisive American victory at Yorktown, yet freedom is stalled until the Marquis de Lafayette demands James’ manumission, leading to James’ choice of surname as the text proclaims him “finally free!” However, the author’s note reminds readers that the legal freedom of the entire enslaved black population in the United States stands almost a century and another war away. A narrative that is deserving of much nuance (the free James Lafayette may have become a slave owner himself, the author’s note also informs readers) goes without much critical examination, and the narrow records on which it was built provide more insight about the decisions of those around him than the man himself. Readers are left with a story that tries to honor the role African-Americans played in the American Revolution while clinging to a linear history of the United States as always moving forward. With new historical narratives complicating the period for adults, this well-meant picture book comes off as timid rather than disruptive, leaving children with the usual incomplete story, albeit with an African-American protagonist. (further reading) (Informational picture book. 7-11)

Kirkus Review

James, an enslaved man who took the surname Lafayette, thanks to his wartime benefactor, served as a double agent for Washington’s army during the American Revolution and then was returned to slavery. Narrator Rodney Gardiner, in a confident, deep voice, delivers Anne Rockwell’s spare text with respect and authenticity. Brief gaps correspond with page turns, inviting listeners to examine the illustrated book. Background sound effects—countryside songbirds, tramping feet in army encampments—are unobtrusive but sometimes seem superfluous. The most confusing element of the production is the placement of the author’s note. The background information on James is important and interesting—but on the recording is situated after the closing credits, which to most listeners signify the end of the audiobook. C.M.A. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2018 - AudioFile