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Murder Afloat Jane Leslie Conly 9781423104162 Books

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Murder Afloat Jane Leslie Conly 9781423104162 Books

Murder Afloat is a face-paced story of Ben Orville, a wealthy boy who is kidnapped and forced to work in slavish conditions aboard the oyster boat Ella Dawn. Ben's ordeal takes him on a journey of self-discovery, and this is where the heart of this story lies. He learns of his ability to perform demanding work and of his newfound appreciation for life on the water. When he is given the opportunity to return to his old life, he must make a decision-embrace his new life as a young oysterman or return home as the boy he no longer is.

As the title reveals, murders take place in this story. The serious nature of Ben's decisions warrant discussion with children because the character's actions bring to light the question of right and wrong. Are deeds always black and white, or are there occasions when something can be viewed as either right or wrong, depending upon the circumstances? Because of the mature nature of this motif and because of the brutality of the deaths, I would not recommend this book for very young or immature readers.


Tags : Murder Afloat [Jane Leslie Conly] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <BR>Benjamin Franklin Orville is a boy who wants for nothing. He has his own pony, and he's caught the eye of the charming girl next door. He doesn't have a care in the world--until the day his mother sends him to market to get a chicken for dinner. Suddenly Benjy is caught up in a scuffle,Jane Leslie Conly,Murder Afloat,Hyperion Book CH,1423104161,Action & Adventure - Survival Stories,Historical - United States - 19th Century,Fishers;Fiction.,Kidnapping;Fiction.,Oyster fisheries;Fiction.,CHILDREN'S FICTION ACTION ADVENTURE,CHILDREN'S FICTION HISTORICAL,Children's BooksAges 9-12 Fiction,Children: Grades 4-6,Fiction,Fishers,Historical - General,JUVENILE,JUVENILE FICTION Action & Adventure Survival Stories,JUVENILE FICTION Historical United States 19th Century,Juvenile Fiction,Juvenile Fiction General,Juvenile Grades 4-6 Ages 9-11,Juvenile Historical Fiction,Kidnapping,Maryland,Oyster fisheries,United States

Murder Afloat Jane Leslie Conly 9781423104162 Books Reviews

Told by an upper-class boy shanghaied onto an oyster dredger in Chesapeake Bay and forced to work in horrible conditions, the story is physical and thrilling; but it moves into (to me) unexpected ethical and moral questions, making it all the more involving.

The details of late 19th century fishing and working conditions are apparently accurate and make the book even more fun.
Murder Afloat takes readers back to a time when unscrupulous ship owners kidnapped their crews and forced them to work on the high seas. The hero of the story is a young boy who is swept up off the streets of Baltimore and brought aboard ship with some German immigrants. I liked the fast pace of the story. It brought to life a part of history that I didn't know very much about. I think young readers will appreciate the fact that the author doesn't sugar-coat either the characters or the circumstances they find themselves in. I give the book high marks for its story line, atmosphere, authenticity, good dialogue, and believable characters. The ending may surprise.
Review of Murder Afloat by Jane Conly

The year is 1882.
On his way home from an errand to Lexington Market 14 year old Benji Orville goes from the carefree son of a wealthy Baltimore lawyer to a pressed into service crew member on a two- masted schooner that spends the winter dredging the Chesapeake Bay for its prized oysters.
Along with his fellow shanghaied crew mates, Benji quickly learns to cope with constant hunger, back breaking work and freezing temperatures. In this cruel seafaring world so different from his past life of privilege, Benji is tested physically, mentally and emotionally.
Middle school readers will be attracted to the well-developed hero of the adventure tale. Additionally readers will learn along with Benji the arduous tasks involved in oyster dredging and sailing for a living on the Chesapeake Bay.
Arguably Ms. Conly's most finely crafted work to date, Murder Afloat delivers a satisfying read on many levels. Character development, suspense and a genuine sense of time and place all blend for a thrilling story.
Benjamin has a happy life in 19th century Baltimore in his affluent family, with his own pony, and no worries other than planning a picnic with his pretty neighbor Jane. That is, until he is grabbed with a group of German immigrants and forced to work as part of the crew on the Ella Dawn, a decrepit oyster boat. The Captain, who rarely surfaces, is a cruel drunk, and the first mate, Plum, runs the ship with a heavy hand. They dub Ben "Little Gentleman" and laugh when he tells them his father is a wealthy lawyer.

Little did Ben know that the delicious oysters he and his family enjoyed at the holidays were likely to have been caught by a half-starved man or boy coerced into working on the oyster barges. The work was considered so awful that no one would do it for wages, so the men are locked into the hold each night until the oyster season is over. Although on the barge Ben no longer goes to school, he gets an education in life that he could never have imagined at home in Baltimore.

Conly writes in detail about the hard life the men on the barges faced, with long hours of backbreaking work and constant hunger. Yet in spite of the hard work and awful conditions, Ben develops a love of the sea, and his family and luxurious lifestyle seem only a distant memory. Will he be able to escape his bondage and return to his family? Or does he no longer want the conventional life of a lawyer that his family had planned for him?

Fans of adventure stories like Avi's The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle are sure to enjoy this fast-paced, exciting tale of murder and adventure on the high seas. It's also a coming-of-age tale as Ben struggles to understand what his path in life should be. At 164 pages, this is a quick read that should appeal to reluctant readers as well as any young people looking for an action-filled adventure story.
Murder Afloat is a face-paced story of Ben Orville, a wealthy boy who is kidnapped and forced to work in slavish conditions aboard the oyster boat Ella Dawn. Ben's ordeal takes him on a journey of self-discovery, and this is where the heart of this story lies. He learns of his ability to perform demanding work and of his newfound appreciation for life on the water. When he is given the opportunity to return to his old life, he must make a decision-embrace his new life as a young oysterman or return home as the boy he no longer is.

As the title reveals, murders take place in this story. The serious nature of Ben's decisions warrant discussion with children because the character's actions bring to light the question of right and wrong. Are deeds always black and white, or are there occasions when something can be viewed as either right or wrong, depending upon the circumstances? Because of the mature nature of this motif and because of the brutality of the deaths, I would not recommend this book for very young or immature readers.