The Privateer's Apprentice
The Privateer's Apprentice
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Peachtree Publishers
Annotation: From Charles Towne, Carolina Territory, in 1712, thirteen-year-old Jameson Cooper, orphaned and indigent, is abducted by privateers working for Queen Anne but proves himself worthy to be called a royal sailor through his writing and drawing skills, as well as his hard work and courage.
 
Reviews: 3
Catalog Number: #6155135
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 2018
Edition Date: 2018 Release Date: 04/03/18
Pages: 192 pages
ISBN: 1-682-63040-4
ISBN 13: 978-1-682-63040-2
Dewey: Fic
LCCN: 2011020976
Dimensions: 22 cm.
Language: English
Reviews:
Horn Book

Thirteen-year old Jameson Martin Cooper, the son of a printer, is orphaned and homeless in 1712 Charles Towne, Carolina Territory. Abducted by Queen Anne's privateers, he eventually earns back his freedom through bravery, hard work, and his skills as a printer. This undemanding yet diverting maritime adventure will engage middle-grade historical fiction fans.

Kirkus Reviews

In a nautical tale that leaks from stem to stern, a printer's son survives one unlikely adventure after another after being shanghaied by British privateers. First orphaned, then sold into indenture on a false charge, then clubbed and carried off to sea, 13-year-old Jameson finds himself sailing into the Caribbean aboard the Destiny, Captain "Attack Jack" Edwards commanding. Jameson inexplicably worms his way into the captain's good graces despite being sullen, accident-prone and so slow on the uptake that he has to be told twice why the ship doesn't fly British colors in enemy waters. He goes on at Edwards' behest to bury a packet of maps in a secret cave during a wild storm for no good reason (except perhaps the general paucity of dramatic scenes), then, before sailing off to deliver the aforementioned maps to Queen Anne (this is 1713), he rescues the captain from being hanged as a pirate by forging a Letter of Marque. The author displays an incomplete knowledge of nautical terminology and the techniques of letterpress printing, and the climactic courtroom scene is so contrived that even Perry Mason would wince. With the likes of Peter Raven, Tom Cringle and even Jacky Faber roaming the literary sea lanes, not even the frequent references to dung, dirt, blood and noxious foods are enough to float such an underresearched, arbitrarily plotted clinker. (Historical fiction. 11-13)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6 Jameson, an orphaned teen living in colonial Charles Town, South Carolina, loses his father's printing business, is jailed for a theft he didn't commit, faces indentured servitude, and is dragged against his will aboard a privateer's ship. He meets a no-nonsense captain, the first mate, two shifty sailors, and other quirky crew members. It becomes quickly apparent that the captain is wise to the rough sailors and Jameson's plight. When he learns of the boy's printing ability, a skill that saves the captain's life, he commissions Jameson to draw what he sees as the ship navigates contested waters in search of more land for the British crown. The driving plot, including a harrowing battle at sea and an escapade on a mysterious island, whets readers' appetites for more action. Youngsters will gain some awareness of colonial life and the salty world of a ship, but the story lacks much historical context. Jameson's na&9;vet&3;, especially his confusion when various deceptive flags are raised, endears him to readers, yet his character is not that unique. The bullying sailor and the seasoned first mate seem like stock characters in comparison to the captain, who is the most intriguing person on the ship. Pirate and adventure stories are fairly prolific, and this one is not especially remarkable. Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

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Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
Word Count: 59,192
Reading Level: 5.5
Interest Level: 3-6
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 5.5 / points: 9.0 / quiz: 153434 / grade: Middle Grades
Reading Counts!: reading level:5.6 / points:15.0 / quiz:Q58549
Lexile: 860L
Guided Reading Level: Z
Fountas & Pinnell: Z

When Jameson is kidnapped and taken to sea, he must learn how to survive.

Jameson Cooper always assumed he would grow up to be a printer like his father. But after the unexpected death of his parents, his fortunes change forever when he is wrongly accused of stealing bread and sentenced to indentured servitude. In a twist of fate, he is suddenly knocked out and kidnapped, and awakens on board the Destiny, captained by the fearsome Attack Jack, a privateer in the service of Queen Anne.

Now Jameson must learn to be a sailor, using the skills he learned from his father to aid Attack Jack in mapping the New World so that they can claim new territories for England. But Jameson finds out that the captain and his first mate, Solitaire Peep, have a secret hidden deep in a cave on a mysterious island. England's future might hang in the balance...and so might Jameson's.

With a sympathetic hero and a climactic resolution, this exciting historical fiction adventure from Susan Verrico will captivate readers and keep them on the edge of their seats.


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