For fun and giggles I decided to read this book again. I read it a long time ago when it was more age appropriate for me. This is a nice period piece that covers a young woman’s journey through things. If you liked Pirates of the Caribbean you are very likely to enjoy True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. It is age appropriate, but it is also enjoyable and amusing for the older crowd if they wish to watch that. ( )

Genre: Realistic Fiction

This book is realistic fiction because Charlotte Doyle, along with the rest of the ship’s crew and plotline, do not actually exist in real life. However, I do know that Avi wanted to make this book as realistic as possible, and so it is also realistic fiction because the ship is true to description and form of what an actual ship looks like, and there is a map and picture drawings in the back. I feel like this is realistic fiction because during that time, passengers did sail aboard different cargo ships or other merchant ships, and mutiny is not something that was all too uncommon. The setting is very engaging and descriptive, and I found myself very interested in the next scenes. We see a variety of human relationships and interactions, and we know that human relationships can change, and not always for the better, in real life as well.

Media: I found the cover art to be spectacular; it looks like pen and ink and etching, and it captures the essence of what I believe Avi wanted to get across in this book,
which was adventure, courage, and complexity of interactions between male and females, as well as the treatment of youth during that time. There are maps in the back of
the book but throughout the book there are no drawings of any kind or illustrations and I thought it was interesting, and also good because it lets the reader use his or her imagination more. ( )

This is a great read-aloud for 4th grade. It is fairly high for 4th graders to read on their own and requires a fair amount of discussion throughout the book to ensure all students are understanding the plot. It is great exposure to more proper English language and once kids get used to the way it is written, they do not want you to stop reading. This book has several plot twists and turns and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. It also touches on many social issues such as racism, social class, and gender roles of the 1800s. Avi also depicts a true experience on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean during this time and can be used to discuss the hardships of such a journey as well. Charlotte is an empowering female protagonist that is loved by all who read this book. ( )

My favorite book of all time!! ( )

Like many of the other readers, I found Charlotte's quick transformation from elitist snob to egalitarian girl of the people to be a bit hard to swallow. However, that didn't stop this story from being a thumping good read. It was suspensful, the villian was deliciously evil (I think in a movie, he'd be played by either Alan Rickman or Hugo Weaving), and there is a lot of info about sailing but the teaching aspect doesn't interfere with the story too much. The targeted age group, both boys and girls, will love this book. ( )