Library Book: The Stowaway: A Tale Of California Pirates - Softcover

National Geographic Learning

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0590488236 ISBN 13: 9780590488235

Publisher: National Geographic School Pub, 2010

Synopsis

Kristiana Gregory's swashbuckling tale of a young boy's encounter with a true pirate is being repackaged with a new cover. This high seas adventure is full of historic facts and nefarious characters.

The year is 1818, and the coastal village of Monterey, California, is a peaceful home for 11-year-old Carlito and his family ... until pirate ships appear on the horizon. Carlito and his friends are excited at first. They can't wait to see what real pirates look like. But once the ships drop anchor, they attack. And on one terrible night, Carlito witnesses a murder - his father's. When Carlito climbs on the pirate ship in search of revenge, the ship sets sail and he becomes a stowaway. Can Carlito bring his father's murderer to justice? Or will he suffer the same horrendous fate?

About this title

About the Author

Kristiana Gregory is the bestselling author of many Dear America titles, including THE WINTER OF RED SNOW and its follow-up, CANNONS AT DAWN; ACROSS THE WIDE AND LONESOME PRAIRIE; and SEEDS OF HOPE. She has also written the Cabin Creek Mysteries, which are based on bedtime stories she told her sons when they were young and restless. Kristiana lives in Boise, Idaho. Visit her online at www.kgregorybooks.com.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. Like most Californians in 1818, 11-year-old Carlito and his family are loyal to Spain. When the Argentine pirate Hippolyte de Bouchard attacks the Monterey Bay settlement, Carlito witnesses the death of his father and vows revenge. In a seriously miscalculated foray to sabotage the pirates, Carlito scrambles aboard their ship and is quickly discovered and enslaved to the cruel captain. On board, he befriends fellow stowaway Billy Bumpus, Billy's imprisoned father, and the bold navigator Montague, the obligatory strong female. As the pirates terrorize the missions along the California coast, Carlito suffers their vile living conditions and observes their savagery. Gregory captures the filth and stench of buccaneer life, but the attention to physical and historical detail often slows the pace of the story. The broadly drawn characters strain credibility: the bad guys are villainous, the heroes are virtuous, and Carlito never emerges as a distinct personality. A prefatory note provides the story's historical setting; an appended epilogue, glossary, and bibliography add background. Because little on this subject exists for children, the book may prove useful in social studies units, especially in California. Linda Perkins

About this edition

• Publisher: National Geographic School Pub
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0590488236
• ISBN 13: 9780590488235
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144