Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

The poll has closed, and the book you chose for September is The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. This won with 26% of your votes from The Map to Everywhere on 23%.

So, get going with acquiring a copy, whether you have to take to the high seas and wield a cutlass, or you go a more traditional route!

I'm looking forward to reading your comments on it - avast there, me hearties! Argh!

Wooooooo !!!!

Cool! I'll get on that...soon.

I've read many of Avi's books, after meeting him at a writer's workshop and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was one of them. As always, Avi writes a story that keeps you wanting to read. This is a great example of how to use research, as he has done with regard to the era of 1832, to the ship, using all the proper terminology, the appearance of the sailors, the rules of the sea as applied then, the dress and the rules in those days for people of "quality." All of which is worked into the exciting action of the plot, that of young teen-age Charlotte who is transformed from a fashionable snob to an independent young person by her experiences aboard the Sea Hawk.

Doesn't appear to be available on Kindle, alas!

Not available in my library either. What a shame.

There seem to be some cheap used copies available at Amazon for the cost of little more than postage. I did that for the Teacher's Funeral, and received it promptly - quicker than reserving it at the library, even if it cost a little more (roughly $3 instead of 80c).

Just a thought.

I got my copy of the ebook from the library, and need to read soon, as it's on a 2-week loan.

Jemima wrote: "There seem to be some cheap used copies available at Amazon for the cost of little more than postage. I did that for the Teacher's Funeral, and received it promptly - quicker than reserving it at t..."

I'll have a look - thanks Jemima.

I've made a start on it, but I can't say I'm enjoying it much so far. I've had mixed results with Avi's books in the past, loving some and not much liking others, so this may end up with me cutting my losses and putting it on the DNF pile.

All I've really wanted to read lately are old favorites.

Has nobody finished it? No on has anything to say? Am I not the only one having trouble getting inspired?

I read it and it was okay- I finished it but probably could have stopped at several points-kept waiting for it to pick up.

I finally finished it with just a few days of September to spare! I listened to this by audiobook, so it took a while on my short commute. :) Spoilers ahoy, Mateys! I was intrigued by the beginning and interested to find out why no one wanted to go to Captain Jagary's ship! Then I was disgusted by the wishy-washy Charlotte and had to keep reminding myself of what she herself mentions about her lack of training in any sort of rebellion techniques. She was so used to going along with what she was told that she didn't even think to think for herself. My heart broke when she discovered the secret and then learned the horrible lesson afterward. Her days as a sailor were inspiring and I was happy that she was growing so much. I have to say, I hoped for the ending, but didn't expect to get it! But it certainly is hard to strap on a corset and full skirts and go back to not thinking for yourself when you've tasted freedom. Many of the stories of pioneering women I've read have had that same theme. Captain Jaggary was a terrible human being and brought everything on himself. I knew from the beginning that Charlotte was going to be tried for murder, but I sure was disappointed when it wasn't for murdering Jaggary! I'd have taken a knife to him myself. Charlotte's father was not the man that she thought he was when she told the captain that he would defend her choices. That made me sad for Charlotte.

They were like men recruited from the doormat of hell.

This made me laugh later when they were all her friends and she wanted to be one of them!

...and there I was, joyous, new-made, liberated from a prison I thought was my proper place.

Freedom not yearned for because she had no idea it existed!

I have been skeptical of accounts of deceased heroes ever since.

Ha ha ha! After noting in the log how the captain and first mate died heroically in the hurricane, it was obvious to Charlotte that maybe not all of the heroic accounts she's heard are true. :)

Rebecca wrote: "Has nobody finished it? No on has anything to say? Am I not the only one having trouble getting inspired?"

I have to say that if it weren't the only thing I had to listen to on my way to work, I might not have gotten through it. There were some parts that were so slow and others that were super depressing and awful that I might not have picked it up to read. I gave it 3 stars in my review.

I quite enjoyed it as a change from my usual reading matter, but perhaps more for the technical aspects of the sailing than the actual story (what does this say about me/the book? Not sure!)

I did have one troubling moment of difficulty in suspending disbelief - Charlotte was fit enough to climb to the top of the royal yard having never (as she says) done any type of physical work, and, presumably due to her sheltered upbringing, not had much by way of exercise either!

Conclusion: It nearly worked as an adventure read.

I have read this and The Cross of Lead. Neither did much for me, but Crispin was less of a drag.

My complaints on Avi are awkward, slow pacing and flat characters with uninteresting, predictable arcs. Can someone recommend an Avi book with tighter pacing or more interesting characters?

Phil wrote: "I have read this and The Cross of Lead. Neither did much for me, but Crispin was less of a drag.

My complaints on Avi are awkward, slow pacing and flat characters with uninteresting,..."

Well, I have downloaded Charlotte Doyle, as it was cheap, but awkward writing and flow usually really tend to annoy me.

I believe I let it expire, so I won't be finishing it. Besides, I have 2 mysteries to read and review in the next couple of weeks, and little inspiration to read any of it.

If I can relate to the character, get behind the story and the writing isn't confusing, that's enough to carry me to the finish of a book. For me, this one worked. I did think it was a little fantastical to think Charlotte could climb that mast based on her upbringing and lack of athleticism, so there's that.

I read one other fantasy selection from this author also to get a better sense of the style of writing. It had the same feel--I don't know how to describe it really-- old school, low-key or understated--it was different. Maybe what others termed flat and awkward is the same thing. This didn't give me the same reaction as some other posters though. Charlotte Doyle was not bad, not the best...just in the middle for me.

I'm very late to the party but I had to comment since I'm in the minority. I loved this book! It's like a shorter, girl version of Robert Louis Stevenson's shipboard books.

It's been a while since I read it, but I have no recollection of getting annoyed by the slow parts. I did, however, strongly dislike the main character for a good share of the book. And I really questioned the plausibility of some things, like Charlotte managing to climb that mast. These things weren't enough to deter my enjoyment, though.

These book discussions are fascinating. Your comments make me want to read it again.