Bloody Jack

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Meyer, L.A. 2002. BLOODY JACK: BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE CURIOUS ADVENTURES OF MARY “JACKY” FABER, SHIP’S BOY. New York: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0-15-216731-5

2.      PLOT SUMMARY

Jacky Faber is a teenage orphan running the streets of 18^th century London when the chance of a lifetime falls in her lap. A departing warship is taking on ship’s boys, but the only problem is that Jacky’s a girl. Cleverly hiding this fact, Jacky sets sail on the adventure of a lifetime.

3.      CRITCAL ANALYSIS

Bloody Jack has an interesting premise, though, not an entirely original one. A girl pretends to be a boy in order to gain access to the “boy’s club.” The pirate aspect of the novel, though, is what sets it apart. I haven’t read many young adult novels that are pirate-related, and thanks to the recent Pirates of the Caribbean films, pirates are all the rage at the moment. Boys will like it for the adventure. Girls will read it because not only does it have a little romance, but it also has an empowering message that whatever the boys can do, girls can do just as well.

4.      REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review in PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “…mark this one for older readers, who will find the salty tale a rattling good read.”

Review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “…a good story of a brave ship's "boy" with natural leadership abilities and a sense of fair play and humanity.”

5.      CONNECTIONS

*What are the readers’ feelings on a female ship’s boy? What about the ages of the younger members of the ship’s crew—would something like this be acceptable in today’s society? How many of the readers would have done the same thing as Jacky—hiding their gender in order to gain access to a world forbidden to them?

* Other novels in this series:

            Meyer, L.A. Curse of the Blue Tattoo. ISBN 9780152054595

            Meyer, L.A. Under the Jolly Roger. ISBN 0152058737

            Meyer, L.A. In the Belly of the Bloodhound. ISBN 0152055576