Sailing the Unknown

Starred review from November 15, 2012
Nicholas Young, 11, circles the globe in this gorgeously illustrated seafaring adventure loosely based on journals of 18th-century explorer Capt. James Cook. Seasoned children's poet Rosen here creates the likable character of young protagonist Nick through spare journal entries describing his travels aboard Cook's first ship, Endeavour, which set sail from Plymouth, England, on August 19, 1768, on a voyage of over 1,000 days. A young delinquent enlisted to serve aboard this exploratory vessel, Nick chronicles life as Endeavour's youngest sailor, tasked with menial jobs including care of the ship's milk goat, Navy. The voyage takes Nick and Cook's sundry crew of sailors and scientists to then-uncharted "Australis," stopping en route at the Canary Islands, the Equator--where crew members not having crossed before were "thrice dunked" in the sea--and Rio de Janeiro, as the Northern Hemisphere's summer morphs to the Southern's snowy winter. Further southwest, Nick is the first to spy New Zealand, where the ship is immediately beset by a rain of spears from the local Maori. Throughout this exotic discovery tale, Pritelli's finely wrought acrylics capture both the action and the otherworldly allure of strange lands, peoples and endless sea by casting them often in a milky blue, deep and mysterious as Picasso's. Visually stunning and packed with sophisticated language and intrigue, this young sailor's log is sure to hook any budding explorer. (Picture book. 8-12)

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Starred review from January 1, 2013

Gr 3-6-This spare, fictionalized diary from the youngest crew member aboard the Endeavour in 1768 recounts the events and adventures experienced by the sailors under the command of Captain James Cook, famed for landing in Australia. Nicholas Young, 11 years old at the outset of the journey, is in charge of the ship's milk goat and helps out in other ways when he can. He chronicles the nearly three-year expedition in journal entries that sway with the rhythm of a sailing ship, telling of the sights and sounds of the far-flung locations they encounter, from exotic animals and insects to groups of people so vastly different from himself. The drudgery of life aboard a ship is juxtaposed with the small moments of brightness and levity that crop up in the most unexpected places. Folk-art-style paintings continue the sea theme with the blues, grays, and greens of the ocean, adroitly conveying the vastness of the world they are exploring. Small border doodles highlight the humorous, or lighter times, such as the dunkings for those new to crossing the Equator. The artwork contains quite a bit of detail, and there is much for readers to pore over; Nick, in his Waldo-like striped shirt is a fun seek and find. A great introduction to exploration for young adventurers everywhere.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

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