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book_concierge's review
4.0
Book on CD read by David Cale
In the summer of 1768 Captain James Cook set sail on H.M.S. Endeavor for a major expedition to explore the possibility of a new continent. In addition to the ship’s crew he carried aboard a naturalist, Mr. Joseph Banks, and his assistants, who would record the flora and fauna encountered on the journey. He also had aboard one Nicholas Young, age 11. All this is known from the public records which have been preserved, and it’s interesting to note that Young doesn’t appear on the ship’s muster until April 18, 1769, eight months after the ship left England. Scholars have speculated about how he might have boarded Endeavor; this is Hesse’s imagined scenario.
I’ve read several of Hesse’s books for children, written in verse, and all based on some historical event. This book is the first prose book I’ve read by her. I was immediately drawn into the story of this boy escaping a situation he hated. (His father had apprenticed Nick to a butcher to “toughen him up.”) He had some education, so Hesse has Nick keeping his own journal of the voyage, and these journal entries are the way in which the story of Endeavor’s first three-years-long voyage is told.
It's a great adventure, and a believable coming-of-age story. Nick is bright, enthusiastic, hard-working and observant. There are crew members who are his champions, and others who are bound and determined to see him fail. He makes some friends and suffers along with others through storms, attacks by native peoples, hunger, damage to the ship and an illness that decimates the crew.
Hesse includes an afterword that explains the history behind the novel, a list of all the people aboard (taken from public records), and a glossary of terms.
David Cale does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He really brings these characters to life.
In the summer of 1768 Captain James Cook set sail on H.M.S. Endeavor for a major expedition to explore the possibility of a new continent. In addition to the ship’s crew he carried aboard a naturalist, Mr. Joseph Banks, and his assistants, who would record the flora and fauna encountered on the journey. He also had aboard one Nicholas Young, age 11. All this is known from the public records which have been preserved, and it’s interesting to note that Young doesn’t appear on the ship’s muster until April 18, 1769, eight months after the ship left England. Scholars have speculated about how he might have boarded Endeavor; this is Hesse’s imagined scenario.
I’ve read several of Hesse’s books for children, written in verse, and all based on some historical event. This book is the first prose book I’ve read by her. I was immediately drawn into the story of this boy escaping a situation he hated. (His father had apprenticed Nick to a butcher to “toughen him up.”) He had some education, so Hesse has Nick keeping his own journal of the voyage, and these journal entries are the way in which the story of Endeavor’s first three-years-long voyage is told.
It's a great adventure, and a believable coming-of-age story. Nick is bright, enthusiastic, hard-working and observant. There are crew members who are his champions, and others who are bound and determined to see him fail. He makes some friends and suffers along with others through storms, attacks by native peoples, hunger, damage to the ship and an illness that decimates the crew.
Hesse includes an afterword that explains the history behind the novel, a list of all the people aboard (taken from public records), and a glossary of terms.
David Cale does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He really brings these characters to life.
katiebtatton's review
4.0
Eleven year old Nicholas Young stows away on Captain James Cook's ship Endeavor on her attempt to circumnavigate the globe for the first time. I'm fairly dense and didn't realize it was based on fact until halfway through the book. I liked it very much----so much that when two thirds of the way through the book when my copy skipped from page 182 straight to page 221, I went directly to the library and picked up a different copy. A refreshing break from the predictable Regency rut I've been in lately.
ohtabby's review
5.0
Sooooooo good! This was a read aloud with my 7 and 10 year old, we all loved it.
radicalqueerreads's review
One of the worst books I have ever read. Slow, boring, tedious, any other adjectives to describe wanting to tear the book to pieces.
mrsbond's review
3.0
Pace was a bit too slow. Perhaps I should not venture a long sea voyage... Otherwise, filled with great details -- reader will certainly come away with knowledge of what it was like to be on Captain Cook's Endeavor. Useful appendices: glossary, ship's company and ship's itinerary.
madcat29's review
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
musicalpopcorn's review
2.0
Joining Captain Cook on his journey around the globe, Nicholas Young is a stowaway who gets to see the world on the three year journey of the Endeavour.
I found this book kind of boring. I enjoyed learning about a topic I’m not all that familiar with, but this book really didn’t engage me in a way that I hoped. As a school librarian, I can’t think of a single student at my school who I would recommend this book to. It had its moments, but overall, it just kind of was.
I found this book kind of boring. I enjoyed learning about a topic I’m not all that familiar with, but this book really didn’t engage me in a way that I hoped. As a school librarian, I can’t think of a single student at my school who I would recommend this book to. It had its moments, but overall, it just kind of was.
elsanore's review
1.0
I read this to my children as part of our homeschool curriculum (Build Your Library Level 3). The premise is good - the diary of a young stowaway on Captain Cook's voyage from England to Australia and back, circumnavigating the globe. However, it's execution made this one of the dullest books I have ever read. The realistic diary entries were often only a few sentences on the weather. Stowaway is a wasted opportunity for what could have been a fantastic adventure.
justread's review
3.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it inspired me to read on and learn more about Captain James Cook's three voyages. The narrator's voice was enjoyable and felt authentic for his age and time. I think it would be a good book recommendation for reluctant readers.
kobowden's review
5.0
I remember reading this in elementary school, when we were reading about colonialism like it was just Feudalism or capitalism, and wondering “Why does the captain think he can show up someplace natives are already living, and say it’s his cause he just found it?”