  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2011 to show how Kitto evolves and how subtle familial and cultural influences shaped him. Readers will undoubtedly identify strongly with the scrappy Kitto, and this will heighten the tension built around his inevitable struggles and ultimate hard-won successes. The story is accurate enough to grab historical fiction fans and sharp and quick enough to keep adventure fans enthralled; though both groups will likely be startled by the abruptness of the ending, they’ll enjoy imagining how the subsequent events might play out in Kitto’s able hands. AS - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 08/01/2011 Gr 4–7—Eames's swashbuckling adventure on the high seas begins in 1678 England. Christopher "Kitto" Quick, 12-year-old apprentice barrel maker to his father, Frederick, has always been ridiculed for his clubfoot and longs for excitement and new experiences. He gets more than he bargained for when a pirate, Captain William Quick, appears with trouble on his heels, claiming to be Kitto's uncle and bringing to light a score of hidden family secrets. Soon, Frederick is dead, and the ruthless privateer John Morris, who is hunting William Quick and a long-lost treasure, has kidnapped Kitto's stepmother and stepbrother. The youngster joins Captain Quick's crew, equipped with nothing but the dagger Frederick left him and the resolve to rescue his family and avenge his father's death. Fast-paced, well-developed, and historically accurate, the lively narrative grabs readers from the get-go and keeps them sailing through the pages. Kitto must determine whom he can trust if he is to save his life and those of his loved ones. Not for the lily-livered, this coming-of-age quest is perfect for landlubbers and pirate aficionados alike. Eames has left readers yearning for the sequel with a true cliff-hanger.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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