The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi [Harper Collins

After seeing that this book won Newbery Honor status and was present on a lot of school reading lists, and being a fan of nautical literature myself, I decided to give it a try in the college Adolescent Literature course I teach.

What a mistake.

Every single one of my students pronounced it horrible. The characters lack any real depth or interest, thanks in part to the dullness of Charlotte as narrator. The plot is unbelievable--particularly the unconvincing ending, where we are supposed to believe, despite merely being told instead of shown, that Charlotte has developed some sort of insatiable comeradery with Mr. Zachariah and the rest of the crew. The writing is hackneyed and bland, conveying the impression that Avi churned this one out to meet a tight deadline or make a fast buck. The nautical elements do not integrate well into the story but seem like a clumsy overlay designed to mystify readers with just enough "vraisemblance" to convey a passable level of expertise.

This experience did made my students think a good deal about what factors go into the awarding of prizes such as the Newbery Medal--a useful undertaking in itself, although it seems to have left them more skeptical about the integrity of the process.

I won't be teaching this one again, or recommending it to my kids, for that matter.

In my opinion, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi, is a great book. I rate it five stars, and I would definitely recommend this book to a friend!
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle has many plot twists, not just any plot twist. Most of the plot twists in The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle are very exciting, and interesting! That is one of the reasons I love the book! Just one example of them is when Charlotte Doyle, a rich girl who turned out to love sea life, turned against Captain Jaggery, an evil no good captain!
Another reason I LOVE the book is because of all the conflict between the characters! There is especially A LOT of conflict between Charlotte Doyle and Captain Jaggery. Avi uses a lot of man vs man conflict. Just wait until the end of the book, there is A LOT more conflict!
One more reason I LOVE The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is, because of the imagery that Avi uses. Avi uses words to describe MANY things. For example when Avi describes the Seahawk, he makes you feel like you can see the Seahawk, like you are standing there right in front of it. An example of the Seahawk is when Charlotte says, “the notion that this figure looked more like an angry, avenging angel than a docile bird.”
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is a great book! The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle has lots of imagery, plot twists, and conflict. I would definitely recommend this book to one of my friends!

5450. the True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi (read 9 Mar 2017) This is juvenile fiction, telling of a 13-year-old girl traveling on a ship in 182 returning to the United Sates. The ship has a crew of about twelve, and the Captain is evil and the crew mutinous. The girl becomes a part of the crew, improbably climbing barefoot up the rigging over 100 feet. There is a hurricane, a murder, and the girl is convicted in a shipboard trial. It of course all works out, but there is an unexpected twist at the end. It is exciting and if I were 13 I would have been, I suppose, entranced.

In 5th grade, our wonderful teacher, Mrs. Kirk-Davalt would gather us in a circle weekly and read to us. The very first one she chose was this book and I have loved her, this book and Avi since then. After I read it I knew that someday I had to have a daughter named Charlotte.
Then, years passed.
I found a copy of Charlotte Doyle in a bookstore and I purchased it, thinking sadly that I probably wouldn't like it as much. But, I was wrong. I was once again enthralled by Charlotte's escapades and could appreciate it from an adult standpoint. It has stood the test of time, and once my wife was pregnant with our daughter I knew that she needed to be named after the heroine of this story.
Charlotte Eilene was born this last October, and in our bookshelf is her own future copy of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. I hope when she reads it she sees the love that went in to her name, and I hope she's just like her namesake: strong, courageous, tough and full of convictions.

It was a dark and gloomy voyage and Charlotte was being accused of murder. No one would stand up for this young 13 year-old girl. I give The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle a 4.5 star rating.This book is very exciting, on edge, and full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed this fun book! If you have some free time and you're looking for an adventurous story, this book is the perfect fit.

Avi did a great job putting things into perspective and giving detail. Charlotte Doyle is in for a one of a kind voyage! This story is a very thrilling adventure. I highly recommend The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.
By Taryn Hamilton

I strongly believe that every fifth grader should get the chance to read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi because it is an enjoyable, exciting book. There are a lot of twists in this book. For instance, Charlotte Doyle was a rich, high class 13 year old girl. She was supposed to be sailing across the ocean to go to Providence with her family, but she ended up loving the sea life, and didn’t want to go to Providence anymore.
Another thing that is in this book is foreshadowing. Obviously there is a lot of foreshadowing in this book. Like when she was foreshadowing about when Cranick, one of the crew members, got beaten by “someone.” Point of view is a huge part of the story. Clearly the point of view affects the way the story is told. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is told in 1st person by Charlotte. I like how it is told by Charlotte, and I think you will too because you get to hear thoughts, feelings, and ideas! For instance, you wouldn’t even have a chance of guessing who beat Cranick.
I would absolutely recommend this book because it gets me so excited!! With the twists of the book and the way things happen with Charlotte, you will not want to put the book down. With all of the foreshadowing about Cranick, a very mysterious crew member, you always know that something big is gonna happen. Oh and the point of view I don’t even know where to start when it comes to this book. The way the point of view is told makes me want to give everyone one of this book. I love this book, and I think if you get a chance to read it, you will feel the same way!

Historical fiction is supposed to have an element of realistic fiction meaning that the story could have actually taken place in the designated time period. Nothing about this story comes across as realistic. It's just not something that would have ever happened (besides the fact that the story is completely predictable). Honestly, I would skip this one.

I could not put this action-packed book down once I started reading it; it drew me in immediately! Charlotte’s bravery comes through as events from the story change her personality. I liked this book because it kept me on the edge of my seat, I could picture what was happening in my head, and the book made me feel emotion. In the end we learn that you should not judge someone by their appearance or class, you should judge them based on their personality.
In the book The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi, we learn that you should not judge someone by their appearance or class. Charlotte is a 13 year old girl who goes to a school for girls and is very wealthy. Her father tells her that she must sail on a boat. She is to be escorted by two families, but the families could not be there. She believes that the only “good” person on the boat is Captain Jaggery. She soon realizes that the crew is not so bad and makes friends. One day, one of the crew members gives her a knife to protect herself, but she puts it away; she doesn’t know it, but she will need the knife later in the book. She realizes that she had been thinking badly of the wrong people.
I liked this book because it keeps me on the edge of my seat. In the book, Charlotte wants to work and become part of the crew, but the crew does not fully trust her. They say that she has to climb all the way to the top of the royal yard (the highest cross on the main mast) to earn their trust. She agrees. In the text it says, “It had not only been stupid, but suicidal. I would never come down alive! And yet I had to climb,” (p. 115). At this part I am thinking, “will she make it or will she come back down? Will she survive or will she fall to her death?” Another part that put me on the edge of my seat was the part where she was accused of murder. The text says, “Without another word, Captain Jaggery led me back to the hold and locked me in the brig,” (p. 171). A brig is a boats jail. Charlotte is to be hanged. Up to this point you know she is brave, but is she brave enough? I am wondering what will happen next and what will happen to her. You want to keep reading to find out, and you are sitting on the edge of your seat in anxiety. This proves that this book keeps you on the edge of your seat.
In this book, you can picture everything in your head like a movie. In the book, a crew member is accused of mutiny by Captain Jaggery. In the text it says, “He stood there as alone as if he had been marooned upon a Pacific Isle […] small wrinkled man that he was, he appeared to have grown smaller,” (p. 90). I can picture the crew member clearly in my head like a movie. Also, Charlotte is starting to get used to being part of the crew. She is standing on the foremast (the mast that is closest to the front of the ship). In the text it says, “My hair, uncombed for days, blew free in the salty air. My face, dark with weather, was creased with a smile. I was squinting westward into the swollen face of a blood red sun,” (p. 124). This part paints a very clear picture in my mind. All of the details help me see the image in my mind.
In the book, Charlotte’s friend is being beaten with a whip. Charlotte is sad, and I am sad. In the text it says, “I could bear it no longer. In a surge of agonizing guilt, I hurled myself at Hollybrass,” (p. 90). In this part, I can feel her agonizing guilt and sadness. It feels like I am in her shoes. In another part, near the beginning of the book, she sees Captain Jaggery for the first time and is relieved, because he is the only proper gentleman on the ship. The text says, “Just to see him made my heart leap joyously with recognition and belief […] and he—I saw it in a glance—was a real gentleman, the kind of man I was used to. A man to be trusted,” (p. 27). I feel happy, knowing Charlotte will have someone of her class that she can talk to, and she will not be alone.
During all of Charlotte’s changes, she shows that she is brave by standing up to trusted friends. We learn that you should not look at someone’s appearance and judge them, you should judge them based on their personality. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book for everyone 10 or older; this book is a must read!

If you love a good mystery then this story awaits for you to pick through the pages and unravel its wonderful tale. But be warned states Charlotte, " Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago." Charlotte Doyle boarded the Seahawk to journey alone from England to America. With only Captain Jaggery and an old black kitchen hand named Zachariah as potential friends, she attempts to find a way to remain a lady. Sharing a ship with an unruly and decrepit looking crew her fears and imagination begin to take hold. Charlotte discovers a mysterious stowaway along with a plot of mutiny. She tells the Captain her fears and he gathers the crew. Charlotte is witness to the Captains rage and murder of the stowaway, and the whipping of Zachariah. As Charlotte attempts to save Zachariah she later learns that she insulted the Captain in front of his crew. Charlotte realized that she had no allies on the ship. In order to make amends with the overworked crew she lends herself to become one of them. As the long voyage continued Charlotte plunged herself into a work frenzy she had never known before. As she regained the trust of the crew her eyes were soon opened to the wrath of the Captain. It was up to her to survive the best she could.

Think about "Treasure Island", or "Kidnapped", for a moment. They are fiction. Didn't happen; probably couldn't happen. But the plots, characters and motivations are so well done and so well developed that it feels like it could have happened, once. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn have that same feel. Heck, "To Kill A Mockingbird" has that feel.

Avi's books are different, and especially this one. There are a lot of points being made here. How unnatural, (not!), it is to have a girl as the hero. Conflict between aristocrats and commoners. Victorian era repression. That's a lot to have to stuff into a high seas adventure. In order to do it you have to have an awkward plot, over-the-top characters, super-accelerated character development, lots of exposition, rather brisk plot resolutions, and a lot of sudden changing of gears.

Avi is so successful, and has so many fans, because he makes it work, at least while you're reading the book if not afterwards when you reflect on it. But, he just barely makes it work, which is why I think readers can be so divided on whether they do or don't like this particular effort.

So, if you are new to Avi this is actually a very good place to start, and you can decide where you fit on the spectrum. To push you over the edge - this book is still, with or without all the quibbles, way ahead of other similar efforts aimed at the early reader group.

The year is 1832 and thirteen year old Charlotte Doyle finds herself aboard a ship bound to take her from her school in England to her home in America. Charlotte is a proper young lady, bred to be dainty and prim. She is therefore horrified to find that the family who are supposed to serve as her companions on her voyage will not be accompanying her and she will instead be left alone on a ship full of coarse sailors. What ensues, however, goes beyond any of Charlotte's wildest dreams as she finds herself caught up in mutiny, murder, and mayhem. A kindly stowaway and a truly depraved captain add depth to this swashbuckling adventure.

I first read this story when I was in late elementary school. I read it again when I was in middle school. And again when I was in high school. Then again when I was in college. And many times since then. Each time I return to Charlotte, the experience is just as good as the last.

Charlotte herself is a wonderful character. She narrates the story, and so her personality shines through every page. What we see is a strong and admirable young girl with a heart of gold. Charlotte is exactly the type of friend I would love to have: loyal, kind, hard working, tenacious, inquisitive, and with just enough spunk to make her endearingly fun. The decision she makes in the end always has me cheering.

As a narrator, her voice is captivating, keeping tension and excitement high. The way she describes her experiences make them come alive: I feel like I'm right there next to her on board the rolling ship with the salt water spraying my face and the sea winds tossing my hair. I can smell what she smells, hear what she hears, and feel what she feels. I am fully transported into Charlotte's world.

The plot is equally fantastic. This book is an example of a story that is well-plotted and complex enough to enthrall adult readers while still remaining accessible and interesting to younger tweens. The pacing is fast and engaging, always causing me to fly through the pages to find out what happens next (even though, by this point, I well know what happens). The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is simply a perfect example of good storytelling, and this quality transcends the bounds of age levels. I wouldn't be at all surprised if in the future this book is referred to as a classic.

The historical fiction parts are detailed enough that you feel like you are learning something about the time period and setting, but not so detailed that you feel swamped by historical details. Likewise, the characters don't feel awkwardly modern and out of place, but they are modern enough that readers can easily relate to them.

I have a book shelf that I refer to as "The Special Shelf," which contains copies of my most treasured books. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle sits prominently on that shelf.

I picture Avi sitting down to plan this novel and saying to himself, What are all the most exciting things that could happen to a person on board a ship in the 19th century? And answering, Mutiny, hurricane, flogging, cutting sails loose from the bowsprit, trial by the captain, being thrown in the brig, seeing a ghost -- and then he put all that (and more!) into this book. It is a lot of fun and the pace really only slackens twice -- during the rather tedious trial, and after Charlotte returns home and is confined to her room by her un-comprehending family.

The book's theme is a little cliched and obvious, in the manner of so many wildly successful children's book, but when I said that to my daughter, who considered this title a favorite when she was a fourth-grader, I got only disagreement and disgruntlement. It is, like Mutiny on the Bounty, an indictment of hidebound authoritarianism as well as a feminist plea -- anything a sailor can do, Charlotte can do -- and after a remarkably brief apprenticeship, too. Trying to prove Charlotte guilty of murder, the captain calls her "unnatural" for putting on boys' clothes and joining the crew -- he is the enforcer of the old social order at any cost. The other theme the book raises -- great for discussion -- is how does a person behave when faced with two apparently bad moral choices? Early on, Charlotte must decide whether to ally herself with the captain, a person of her own social class, or with the crew. She chooses the captain at first, then, when she sees his cruelty and unfairness, she chooses the by then mistrustful crew.

The ending is ridiculous in terms of credibility, but is emotionally satisfying, so who cares?

Charlotte Doyle is a proper young lady journeying to her new home in America, by herself, after finishing her school year in England. She is to be joining some other families aboard The Seahawk for their travel across the Atlantic. Upon arrival for boarding, none of the other families show up. Even at the insistence of a crew member that she not remain on the ship, Charlotte is determined to make her way to America. This decision makes her the only non-crew member, and the only female, on the ship.

Soon she grows close to the crew, reading them stories, learning about crew life, etc., but it is Captain Jaggery who she finds herself mostly attracted to as he is a "proper gentleman." Little does she realize that the crew thinks otherwise. Charlotte soon finds herself one of the mutinous crew members after the Captain mercifully whips one of her crew member friends until his death. As the voyage continues, the tension-filled situation escalates to the point of boiling over and Charlotte finds herself on trial for the murder of the Captain.

If you know anything about seafarers during this time period, then you know the implications of having a woman, especially a young woman, on board the ship. Many saw them as a curse. I found this little fact very intriguing as I read the book. Just thinking about it made the story much more fascinating.

I really liked Charlotte as a character because she changed as the book moved along. She didn't keep her mindset and manners, she rolled with the punches and adjusted to each individual situation. The other characters are quite boisterous and enjoyable as well. Avi did a great job setting this scene and I believe that it is a story that many can enjoy at many points in their lives. I hope you give it a shot.

Avi has written award-winning books for a pre-adolescent audience, with a captivating voice and with unmatched success. Perhaps readers remember him from "Nothing But The Truth". In "True Confessions" he writes a novel about a strong and subversive young girl who defies mores and conventions of her day, rid the bad guy from the scene and save the day. It is full of mystery, suspense and plenty of action. Nevertheless, the romanticism of the historical period, the precise descriptions of the ship and the overall sense of good winning is remarkably written. I read this novel as a younger girl, and was quite entranced. The 1991 original cover featured Charlotte, radiant, her hair windswept wearing a lovely dress, by the starboard of the ship. This cover might have fooled some readers. Far from the conventional romance or swash-buckler it may come off as at first, it is not. It is Charlotte Doyle who single handedly finds herself, rescues others while doing it and defeats the terrible, dictatorial, sadist sea captain Jaggerty.
Initially, Charlotte, following the formulaic conventions of Victorian women of her day, does not oppose Jaggerty, even though some crew members, who are good at heart, desire mutiny. After she discovers for herself how cruel, how insensitive and inhuman this Jaggerty is, she joins the crew, dresses a sailor and finds herself in a spiraling series of events leading to the climatic finale. Charlotte Doyle is a great heroine, free-willed, independent and still, very feminine. She is a great role model in literature for young girls who can read the exciting prose of Avi.
I don't need to praise this novel anymore. Avi has done a marvelous job, a wondrous work of historical fiction with a strong awareness of women's empowerment. Hurray for Avi. I have not read a book by him in a long time. Perhaps he did'nt have to. Charlotte Doyle is his masterpiece and his other novels will live forever in the book shelves of many libraries and bookstores. Even if you have to find the out-of-print original copies. There are ways... thank God for the internet.

Charlotte Doyle is a thirteen-year-old living in 1832. She has been at a boarding school in England, learning how to be a proper lady, but this summer she will be sailing to America to join her family in Rhode Island. Her father has very strict orders for her to board the Seahawk and travel with two other reputable families. She is also to keep a journal of her time on the ship for her father to read when she returns home.

Things are all wrong when Charlotte boards the ship, though. The other families who were supposed to travel with her don't show up. She is now traveling alone across the ocean, with only the captain and crew--all men. Furthermore, she has heard bad things about the captain from the rest of the crew. They have said he is cruel and unfair, and they are planning a mutiny against him. Charlotte doesn't see how bad he is; he seems to be the only gentleman on the ship, and he treats her like a lady. How can he be so bad?

I liked hearing about how a ship was run; this book was very informative. I liked how Charlotte's character changed over the course of the story, and I liked the way the ending fit with the rest of the story. I thought it was too obvious from the start of the story, though, who the good guys and bad guys were. I also didn't like how Charlotte was accepted so easily. Especially in the time in which the story was set, I don't think it's realistic that Charlotte would be allowed in the way she was.

Wonderful, gripping story!!! I read this, then our family listened to it on CD on a family car trip. We were on the edge of our seats (boys and girls, both).

Guessing from the title, I was a bit concerned about the content being inappropriate for the kids. Happily, that turned out to be a complete non-issue.

Historical fiction - this book gives real insight in to the time period it represents (1830), as well as traveling by ship in that era.

Charlotte Doyle is a thirteen-year-old who travels by ship from England to Rhode Island, but this is NOT a girly-girl book. Words I would attribute to this story...adventure, thrilling, gripping, unexpected...it is one of those stories that you gleefully realize you've passed through a whole state unawares while listening in the car... :)

This story reads swiftly, hooking you into the action/adventure style from the first sentence. A young American girl finds herself the only passenger--and female--aboard the SEAHAWK, a ship with a sinister reputation in 1832. The voyage from England to America provides maritime mayhem: murder, mutiny, tested courage and loyalties. Thirteen-year-old Charlotte undergoes a social metamorphosis: from Miss Doyle, rich, pampered but helpless female, into Mister Doyle, crew member. (Highly improbable of course, but Avastly entertaining.)
Is her conduct scandalous but reasonable for physical and mental survival? That is why she sets forth a frank confession of all that happened to her and how she reasoned out her shipboard role and justified her actions. Read along in her private journal and decide for yourself. Sudden twists of fate and counterplots keep our resourceful heroine on her toes--from the highest rigging to the darkest brig. Is there a ghost on board, along with a stowaway and a possibly insane captain? This read will delight female students who tire of the traditional roles assigned to girls. Even if the ending is highly unlikely, it is satisfying from a Literary point of view. Ship out with the SEAHAWK and you will not be disappointed!

In my opinion, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by: Avi is an average book. The reason I rate this book 2 and a half stars is for multiple reasons.

One of the reasons is that the author used too much foreshadowing. The Foreshadowing made the plot too obvious. Especially in the beginning when the crew was telling Charlotte to get off the ship. By that foreshadowing, I knew something bad was going to happen.

Another reason the story was just average is because the story had a really boring beginning. The whole beginning was Charlotte, the protagonist, talking with the captain and Zachariah, an elderly respected crew member. It needed more action.

Additionally, the worst part about the book is that it’s an average ship cliché. A cliché is an old worn out opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. Every other ship book follows this cliché. Like how the protagonist overcomes the challenges of the sea. But, in this case Charlotte overcomes the challenges at sea. I strongly believe that “The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle” is an OK book because it was a cliche’, the foreshadowing told too much, and it had a boring beginning.

The year is 1832. Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is instructed by her family to travel from Liverpool, England to Providence, Rhode Island on board the Seahawk. Despite the warnings that Charlotte receives against boarding the ship, she does not wish to contradict her father (she is, after all, a young lady). Once aboard, Charlotte is horrified to find herself the only lady on the entire ship! Nevertheless, she quickly befriends both the highly refined Captain Jaggery and the old cook, Zachariah (tattered and crude in appearance, yet kind and gentle). After witnessing the captain's brutal behavior towards the crew, however, Charlotte joins the men in a revolt against him. The story continues as Charlotte and the crew brave a raging storm, fight the captain once again, and finally dock in Providence. At the end of the story, Charlotte must make a hard decision regarding her plans for the future (of course, I will not disclose her answer). Rarely does a book appeal to people of different ages, genders, and interests, but it is safe to say that this is one of them. When my sixth grade class read this book, I anticipated a boring and uneventful story ahead. I am now thankful that we read it, for it has become one of my all-time favorite novels. I highly recommend "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" to anyone looking for a book unlike any other...a book that has it all: adventure, suspense, mystery, and a riveting plot suitable for absolutely anybody.

"Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty..."
At thirteen, Charlotte Doyle is sure of her place in the world as a proper young lady. But unexpected circumstances have a way of changing a girl's perspective.
The only passenger on a long ocean crossing, Charlotte finds herself tangled up in mutiny, intrigue, and the scheming of a ruthless captain. Unsure who to trust, she wavers between sides, makes mistakes, does her best to make amends, and finally ends up joining the crew, only to end up in more trouble than she ever could have imagined possible.
Although certain plot elements are less than completely credible, the story's fast pace leaves the reader with no time to care. It appears that a great deal of research went into creating as accurate a portrayal as possible of life on a ship (with fairly detailed explanatory notes at the back for landlubbers).
An exciting story about a girl who has to prove herself, in one way or another, at every turn, this book has been a favourite of mine since I first read it at the age of ten.

Charlotte Doyle has been educated to be a proper lady, but nothing prepares her for her lonely voyage on the Seahawk. At first befriending the only "gentleman", the Captain Jaggery, Charlotte finds herself torn between her training and social standing and her new friend, the elderly, black Zechariah who is fatherly to her. Things come to a head when Charlotte uncovers a plot among the crew for mutiny. Upon witnessing the Captain's cruelty and forced to face her own guilt in helping him, Charlotte chooses her loyalties and becomes a member of the crew. During a storm, though, Charlotte is accused of murder. Action packed, dramatic, historic, with a murder mystery and strong characters, particularly the realistic heroine, this book is one I loved as a kid and stood up to an adult rereading. Not as good as the amazing Jacky Faber series, but still a strong, well-written, exciting, and powerful young adult novel on the high seas. Grade: B+

This was an entertaining book - I’m a parent and I read it in three days. It was very exciting and well written. HOWEVER, the overarching themes present are to my mind inappropriate and disturbing. For example: all wealthy people in this book are portrayed as evil or nitwits, including Charlotte’s parents. Lying is fine (this comes into play at the end of the book). Cliche feminist undertones - a 13 year old girl can suddenly do almost anything veteran sailors can, though she’s never lifted a finger before in her life.

Things really unraveled for me at the end of the book, and the surprise twist was an abomination. (Spoiler ahead) The 13 year old girl is changed by her experience and the solution presented at the end is that she runs away from home, back to some sailors who are hopefully loyal to her now but just over a week prior were okay with her being hanged for a crime she didn’t commit. Parents, before you hand this to your kids, read the last chapter and take a look at the portrayal of the parents and the runaway scene at the end. Do we really want to send a message that running away from home is a plucky option for a 13 year old? This solution was overly simplistic from a literary standpoint anyway - the main character needed to successfully wrestle with her new identity and integrate it with her old self, not abandon her family after an insanely traumatic two month sea voyage.

This book should be on the bookshelves of every girl in the world. I even believe it would be great for boys (but, I'm not one, so I can't speak specifically on boy options!)!!

Why should every girl read this??
There's adventure (pirates, storms, wrong places!), traditions (frilly dresses, white gloves, what is proper for a young lady to do) and a journey to find your voice.

I received this from my aunt who is (now long retirrd) a librarian, and already knew I was an outspoken gal. I think she wanted to show me that was not always allowed for girls. The day I started reading this book (I was at my Grandparents house, having brought a friend, even!) and I literally could not put it down. I was not a kid who read - I ran and played. This story grabbed me so much that it was hard to put down even to eat. Luckily I've always been a reality quick reader, so I finished it late the same day I started it.
Through the years, until I was 18 I happily read this book during Christmas break. Sadly, it was lost in the move to college, but I will never forget Charlotte Doyal, and her beginnings of being herself!

Long story short, READ THIS BOOK!! Buy it for a young lady in your life, or just buy it for yourself! If possible I would give it 10 **********

I was cheaply disappointed that this wasn't about pirates, but what can you do? Sailors freak me out, but in this story I actually kinda enjoyed reading about them. Charlotte is the greatest character! She was so brave in the story. This is the best book for girls to read. It shows that you can do anything you want, even though it's impossible. The author writes really good, but I think he should have picked a better year to write about, like 1720 or something. Also it didn't have a very good beginning and I almost stopped reading it. I mean who starts out saying, "Just before dusk on June 16, 1832..."? He should have said, "The wind blew fiercely across the ocean, as I stood there on the docks of Liverpool, England..." Anyway, this book still remains my most favorite book ever. But a couple more things wrong with it: Charlotte appeared dumb at times, not figuring out the obvious, she didn't act very proper and rich, even from the beginning, she should have had lots of passengers on board with her, a nice cabin and maybe even someone like an aunt. But that's just my opinion...
P.S.
(Yes, it could be possible to join the crew even with others aboard.)

What I specifically like about this book is the diagram of the brig and
the discussion of sailing lore.
In this same age Herman Melville wrote the classic Moby Dick: After the story by Herman Melvill (Classics in colour)
which has a lot of whaling trivia, but it is clear to see that
the sea wasn't a place for an 13 year old girl,
yet cabin boys of that age were common.
The sexual lines were drawn clearly,
but she found her way over them
to a ship and a family of sailors
who accepted her better than her own family could?
The book is well written and easy reading.
Much of the action you feel like you are reading Treasure Island (Enriched Classics Series).
That places this book as a new classic...

Well written, this novel immediately draws the reader both into the plot and into identification with the protagonist, a young girl crossing the Atlantic during colonial days. At first, the girl admires the ship's captain, who reminds her of her father. During the voyage, however, she discerns that he is evil, and she helps the crew mutiny against him. She becomes a sailor, just like the men. This is the weak part of the novel - these old salts immediately accept her as one of their own. Regardless, this leads to the most important part of the novel: These unique experiences enable her to unveil the truth about her parents (her father is evil and tyrannical and her mother is a sop) and to reject her parent's beliefs and values, and when she arrives in America, she runs away. A fine book for English teachers to give to middle school kids; although it may seem blatant to adults, it is my experience that only the most mature of seventh graders become aware the manipulative nature of this book.

Charlotte Doyle. Classy, elegant. She does not question motives and demands respect. Being a lady is the future she was bred to embrace...but the future, as many have said, is not set in stone. For Miss Doyle, on her journey to Rhode Island, is about to embark on a journey filled with mystery, mutiny, murder, and so much more. She will meet a seemingly courteous captain, and deal with a presumptous crew. She will be surrounded on one side by hostility, and another by friendship and acceptance. Her voyage will change her life forever, but for the best, I cannot say.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is a difficult book to describe. Is it a page-turner? Undoubtedly. Is there a little to much violence? Surely. Is it a book that all readers can enjoy? It depends. But one thing is for sure: after reading this book, written by the incredible Avi, you wil certaintly see the rights and liberties of our present day country, America, in a whole new light.

Charlotte, a 13 year old polite and elegant girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. She sails on a ship going to Providence, Rhode Island over the summer in the year 1832. During the voyage, Charlotte learns that things are not quite what they seem. An adventurous, wild, and fearless story about the true meaning of friendship, and what it means to never give up.
This book was great because Charlotte came across many of the fore mentioned tragedies, even risking her life and never gave up on having a bright future. A friend told her '"a sailor chases the wind that takes the ship to safe port, but wind have a mind of their own."'
If you enjoyed reading or watching the Titanic you would appreciate this book. The setting takes place in a time period long ago, on a ship that the passengers face extreme dangers. 'The ship plunged again and he tumbled into the water.'
Charlotte is a round and dynamic character. Captain Jaggery is very different from Charlotte, he is static, flat, and stock.
Zachariah is round and static. Finally, Captain Jaggery's crew is dynamic, flat, and stock. "The crew trusts one another and eventually comes to trust Charlotte."
The conflict involves Captain Jaggery, who accuses Charlotte of killing his assistant, Mr. Hollybrass. She is found guilty by the captain, as a result he attempts to kill her. 'I looked about not knowing what to expect, save that I truly feared for my life.'
Charlotte and are alike in that we are both polite and shy. 'I was an acceptable ordinary girl of parents in good standing.'
Charlotte is much braver than I, and stands up for herself in the face of adversity. I don't know if I would have survived in the story, she thinks much faster on her feet. Overall a great read.

As there are many other reviews to explain the good things about this book - it's masterful writing and suspenseful plot, for example - I shall devote this one to the things which are not so good.

The heroine of the story began as a prim young lady, strong in her opinions, and utterly naive about the world, though she is knowledgeable enough to be horrified at the situation in which she finds herself (the only girl on a small ship full of rough men). She is realistic, identifiable, and has plenty of room for character growth. No complaints thus far.

Rather than having strong inherit morals that come out through her circumstances and reform the faulty edges of her character, Charlotte's main strengths were determination and desire for justice. Throughout the entire story, she made her decisions based on what was best for her (such as soothing her conscience). Her only real change was her change of loyalties and perspective (from believing as right the upper-class captain and those who had raised her to preferring the rough seamen). At the end, she was just as dogged, unyielding, and selfish in her new loyalties as she was in her initial ones.

While the characters were vivid and the relationships had great potential, much of them didn't pull all the way through. Setting aside the unlikely swiftness of the change of Charlotte's worldview, it was easy to sympathize with her liking and respecting the men. But, as they were willing to sacrifice her life in order to save their own, there could be no real trust between them. Without that trust, their friendship lacked a foundation and didn't ring true. As Charlotte proceeded to base almost all her decisions based on these relationships, I couldn't sympathize with her choices.

Perhaps underlying these, is the fact that there are no good characters (with possibly one exception), the kind that I can really cheer for and take as a role model. In the end, all of the characters have some good characteristics - they do good things - but even these can be traced back to a selfish motivation, and they show no repentance for misdeeds (except for a little from Charlotte).

While I have some other issues with this book, these are the main ones and I hope this review may be helpful to someone else, though I know 'tis just my opinion.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by famous author Avi, is an adventure! The story takes place in 1832 on a ship called " The Seahawk" sailing to America There are 3 main characters in the book and they are Charlotte Doyle, Captain Jaggery and Mr. Zachariah. Charlotte is the only girl on the ship and the crew trets her like dirt. They always make her go to her cabin and they make people escort her. Charlotte does not like that so she decides to to join the crew to prove that she is like everyone else. Mr. Zachariah is one of Charlotte's best friends. Captain Jaggery is a very nasty captain and even the crew does not like him. Overall this book is worth the reading.

This is a great confidence builder for girls to think they can do anything; plus reading this books gives you a huge amount of information on ships and how to work on them! I especially liked how when she got home she didn't fall back into the timid little fragile girl routine, but instead decided she had enough right to take her life in her hands and returned to sea. This book also gives a different view of girls from the past than almost all other young adult novels set in the past--the view that some girls learned to work hard and take care of themselves in grim situations instead of waiting to be rescued.

I have just recently read the book "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" and I think it is a great book. It tells the story of a girl named Charlotte Doyle who is coming on a ship from her boarding school to visit her family. On the ship she met Captain Jaggery that at first she thought was a gentleman but then he killed someone on deck for no reason. I especially like the part of the book where Charlotte climbed up the main mast that was over 50 feet high so she could become part of the crew. I would recommend this book because I love action and the book is full of it.

-ECP

I would consider The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle a great read because it is suspenseful for a main reason & it is a very descriptive novel that's really an enjoyable read.I would more likely recommend it for middle school age kids though because I was that age the first time I read it & I enjoyed it more then than I did reading it now years later.It deserved the 4 stars because it really is a good book & it did win many awards & it's a really good novel for young adults that you won't wanna put down.I read it in one day & I'd call it one of my favorite books.

The True Confessions Of Charlotte Doyle is an amazing book & one of Avi's best!! I absolutely loved every part about this book and when I had finished, it left me thinking "What Happens Next???? I want to know what happens next!!!" I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages who enjoy adventure & mystery books. There were no slow or hard-to--get-through parts and I have never ceased to wonder HOW Avi put in SO many unpredictable, surprising twists that kept me turning the page.
This book is amazing!!! Please don't miss out on this great piece of work!

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is such a wonderful book. I hate it when people say "It's a girl book" just because there is a girl on the cover. The book is great for everyone, regardless of their age. Plus, I think it is nice for people to read about a strong-willed girl who shows bravery even in the scariest of circumstances.

This is another book I bought at a Scholastic book fair 20 some years ago. Became one of my favorites immediately and I've reread it many times over the years. I still have the paperback but I'll be adding the digital copy to my collection since the original has lost it's covers.

I taught seventh grade language arts for ten years, and apart from "The Hobbit", I never got a more universal positive response for a book than this. The real triumph here is in point of view. Avi Wortis writes not as an adult, but a child, not as a man, but as a girl, not in the present time, but in the past. Kids love this book, boys and girls both, because the story is always moving and there's no dead time in the text. Suspense is omnipresent. Avi works a real spell here, unlike in others of his books, which have a tendency to wander. Highly recommended.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of "Teeth.")

Charlotte is a typical well-mannered girl of 1832 as she prepares to return home to her family in America after attending school in England. But the voyage she takes turns out to completely change her life and shake up her world in ways neither she nor her parents could have ever anticipated.

Avi once again completely brought me into a world I knew nothing about and captured my attention from the first page to the end.

I rate the True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle a 3/5 stars because I think that it could have been great, but still missed the mark. Charlotte had a very strong voice in her book, which is a wonderful achievement on Avi's part. The plot was very predictable... VERY PREDICTABLE! There was some action, suspense, and love/friendship, but it came and went in short bursts in different parts of the book, instead of continuing throughout. I thought that the character development - especially that of Charlotte and Zachariah - was by far the most interesting part of the book. In the end, I would only recommend The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle to you if you really love historical fiction and sea-faring adventures.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was a very good book. It was suspenseful and shocking. Ms. Doyle must sail to America to see her family. The only problem is that she has to sail on a ship full of pirates who are trying to form a mutiny. The captain is trying to warm up to her so she'll snitch. Charlotte must choose a side, dirty saliors or a crazed captian. The only part of the book that displeased me was the ending, but overall it was a very delightful book. I recommend it to people who like thrilling adventures.

This is an amazing adventure story by a remarkable writer. Charlotte is such a vibrant character that I feel as if I know her.
On her trip, which she embarks upon in order to be reunited with her family, she discovers that pretty much everything her parents ever told her is wrong. I totally agree with that, but you kind of get the impression that nothing is really right or wrong, you just have to decide what is best for yourself no matter what the cost. I am not at all saying that what Charlotte does is wrong, but there is another message hiding behind her story, so be careful! A much better choice is "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare.

The Adventures Of Charlotte Doyle was an amazing book filled with terrific and engenious adventures. This book is so amazing and great that I didn't want to put the book down. My teacher Mrs. Sherman had told my reading group one day that we had to read two chapters of our book. I really didn't want to because I wanted to go outside and play. When I had gotten home though, I had found that I couldn't put the book down. I just had to keep on reading and I couldn't stop. I read two whole chapters more then I had needed to because I had liked the book so much. I didn't have enough time to go outside and play. I didn't really even care though. The book was so amazing that I got myself in and I couldn't get myself out. From this story I laerned that money truley isn't everything. I had heard this saying many, many times before, but only after I had read the book did I truley understand what this was really about. I really truley did enjoy this book, and loved it more then I had ever thought that I would! I really think that you should read this book!

Charlotte Doyle WAS a proper english girl. Now her life has been changed forever. Charlotte grew up in England, while the rest of her family lived in America. She lived with her neurse until her father called Charlotte home. She was looking foward to her three month trip on the Seahawk, but when she gets to her boat she finds out that she is the ONLY passenger! The whole crew is full of old sailers, and the only real gentleman is Captain Jaggery. But just as she thinks the trip won't be so awful the captain goes crazy. Charlotte has to decide if she wants to be friends with the crew or take sides with the evil Captain Jaggery! Read the book to find out who her real friends are!!!

If you love mysteries you'll love this book. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle starts out a little slow but it turns into a big adventure. I love this book because you go from one twist to the next. It's not slow or boring. Another reason I like it is because Charlotte learns a lesson about friendship. She learns not to judge people by the way the look, just like you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover!

Charlotte Doyle is one of my favorite characters in Children's lit. I first read this book in a time where most of the books I read were about young boys and their problems. This one actually dealt with some issues I faced daily. Avi is wonderful and pulls along the story. His writing is good at keeping anyone interested, even those who usually would rather watch the movie than spend time looking at a page with words and no pictures or sound. A great pick for any preteen daughter.