Carry on Mr. Bowditch
Latham, Jean Lee
Newbery Award Winner
Readability: 6
Setting: Salem, 1780
Age of Main Character: 6 to adult

"Nat wanted to go to sea like all the other young men in Salem about 1780. However, Nat was rather small in stature, so when his family had financial problems, Nat was indentured to a bookkeeper. Now, all of Nat's dreams seemed to be unreachable. What would become of him?

Nat's seagoing family lived in Salem in the 1780's. Nat had two dreams; to go to sea and to graduate from Harvard. However, financial problems caused Nat to become indentured to a bookkeeper at age twelve because he was good "with numbers". The bookkeeper ran a store that sold ship equipment. There Nat learned much about sailing."

After his indentured time, Nat was asked to go aboard ships and keep track of the selling of the cargo. While aboard these ships, Nat taught the crews to navigate by the stars. He learned many languages, wrote a book, and experienced some romance. His trials led him to reach his goals.

Questions:

1. Summarize the story.


2. How did the sailors measure the speed and distance they traveled? (They threw a log in front of the ship and counted how long it took the log to get to the back of the ship. )


3. What was a "venture" as referred to in the story? (When a privateer gets part of the captured ship's cargo or when someone puts cargo aboard in hopes that it will bring a higher price at the next port. )


4. What does it mean to be indentured? (To be signed over to someone for the purpose of working them for a certain length of time.


5. If you were to be indentured as Nat was, what occupation or profession would suit you? Why?