Sailing as the only passenger (and only female) from England to Rhode Island is the extraordinary position in which Charlotte Doyle finds herself in June of 1832. The voyage's inevitable disasters are foreshadowed from the moment she boards the ship. Charlotte's class identification with Captain Jaggery blinds her to his manipulation of her naive loyalty, and to his cruelty to the crew. Her eventual alliance with the mutinous crew is possible only after calamitous events which expose her to previously unthought of realities about herself and others. Written in the romantic style of a 19th century adventure story, this thrilling tale relentlessly commands attention from the beginning to an entirely satisfying and unexpected conclusion. Honor Book, 1990 CCBC Newbery Book Discussion. (Age 12 and older)

A vicious captain, a mutinous crew --
and a young girl caught in the middle

Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however: If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it.