The Castaways

November 1, 2007
Gr 5-9-Tom Tin's life has taken a turn for the worse ever since he took possession of the Jolly Stone, a sought-after diamond as big as a doorknob. A wealthy merchant, Mr. Goodfellow, has sentenced Tom's father to debtors' prison and Tom to an island in the South Seas on a convict ship. When Tom and four fellow castaways escape from the cannibal-infested islands on a broken-down boat, their provisions and fuel run out, forcing them to draw threads to see who will die so that the rest can live. Just before the axe is wielded, they run across two stranded sailors who use force to take over Tom's ship and lead the castaways into the hands of slave traders. Thanks to Tom's seafaring upbringing and loads of luck, the boys survive one frightening episode after another, eventually bringing Tom back to London where he can retrieve the Jolly Stone and seek revenge on Mr. Goodfellow. A treasure chest packed with seaworthy adventures, including dangerous encounters with slave traders, cannibals, pirates and the notorious Flying Dutchman, "The Castaways" leaves readers breathless with its twists and turns. Just when readers might think Tom is out of trouble, he comes face to face with another challenge, developing his character from a fearful boy set on revenge to a mature young man who discovers that you cannot put a price on happiness."Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2007
From the series that began with The Convicts (2005), this seafaring historical novel opens with five boys lost at sea in a crumbling, steam-driven boat. Believing themselves rescued when an unmanned ship floats by, they climb aboard, only to find themselves in the middle of a nightmarish experience that ends with their being sold into slavery. Narrator Tom eventually returnsto London, where the story takes a distinctly Dickensian turn. This adventure story offers a convincing, detailed, occasionally gruesome portrayal of life at sea200 years ago.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)