The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Author: Avi

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Summary:

Charlotte Doyle, a girl by the age of thirteen, lives in England and goes to the Barrington School for Better Girls. Her father, mother, younger sister and younger brother live in Providence, Rhode Island. Charlotte is to sail on the Seahawk (a brig, also known as a two masted ship) on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to live with her family.
Charlotte's father has several reasons leading up to the positive of this voyage. First, Charlotte will be losing no school, due to the fact that it is summer break and this voyage will occupy an assuming 2 months. Second, the Seahawk is owned by her father's company, and is operated under her father's firm. The fourth reason is the captain of the Seahawk has earned a reputation for profitable crossings across the Atlantic Ocean. The final reason is two other families known by her father have also booked for this passage, and are to accompany Charlotte.
There’s a large beautiful boat, jolly sailors, no school, and companions of her age!
The only possible thing that can dampen this voyage, the rain on Charlotte's parade, is a journal that Charlotte was instructed by her father to write in every day of her voyage. There are no other interruptions in Charlotte's soon-to-be fantastic journey. And what harm can a journal be?
It turns out that during this journey, Charlotte's happiness is not the only thing held in jeopardy-her life is, too! Will Charlotte's strong will to survive and make the best of her current position prevail? Or will life's hard lessons drive Charlotte out of her mind?

Reviews:
I would really recommend this book to people who love adventure, and trusting novels. There is lots of friendship and so much trust in this story, and that made the story hard to figure out who the protagonist should trust.
This story was a great and interesting book with lots of intense scenes! I recommend it to anyone who likes action and adventure. This is a well written book with a nice rising action and a very good climax. Overall great book! If you know anything about seafarers during this time period, then you know the implications of having a woman, especially a young woman, on board the ship. Many saw them as a curse. I found this little fact very intriguing as I read the book. Just thinking about it made the story much more fascinating.

Award: Newbery Winner