Drake's Quest (Paperback)

Charlie Drake has hit the high seas. A mere teenager, his family has fallen apart and he's on a quest to find out what he can about his real father. On board the Churchill, swabbing the deck in exchange for room and board, he meets Mac, another young sea dog, and they prove themselves useful as more than scullery workers when the crew gets in a jam. Thankfully that happens with some regularity, keeping Drake's Quest exciting throughout... There are definite echoes of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn here, but with the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean standing in for the mighty Mississippi. Drake's Quest will be a strong motivator for reluctant readers of both sexes, but boys in particular will appreciate the violence, gross-out humor, and some sexually suggestive and scatological references, while soaking up facts about Leonardo da Vinci, world history, and nautical terminology. - ForeWord Reviews