Captain Kate (An Avon Camelot Book) - Hardcover

Grade 4-7-A novel set during the Civil War. Kate, 12, is resentful of her new stepfather who is away fighting in the Union army and of his children, 12-year-old Seth and 9-year-old Julia. When she learns that her mother plans to rent out the family canal boat for the summer, Kate decides that she will take the vessel the 184 miles down the Cumberland & Ohio Canal. Knowing that she can't possibly make the trip alone and left with no other options, she pressures her stepbrother to go along with her and they leave without her mother's knowledge. Stubborn and fiercely independent, Kate adamantly designates herself captain of The Mary Ann and has little patience with good-natured, virtuous Seth. With quiet resolve, the boy teaches her empathy and, by the novel's end, she has newfound respect and admiration for him. During the journey, she comes to terms with her father's death and realizes that she must accept changes. Julia, Kate's mother, and her stepfather are minor characters who pale in comparison to the thoughtfully created characters of Kate and Seth. Taking place primarily on the canal, the story has plenty of action and detailed descriptions of boats and life along the waterway. Tension builds gradually and is released at exact moments. Fans of Reeder's other books, especially Shades of Gray (Macmillan, 1989), are sure to appreciate this new offering.
Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY
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