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Cast Off:
The Strange Adventures of Petra De Winter and Bram Broen
A tale of pirates, mutiny, and friendship on the high seas.
It’s 1663, and twelve-year-old Petra sees only one way to escape her abusive father: She stows away on a merchant ship bound for the East Indies. But she quickly realizes that surviving for months at sea will be impossible without help. So when Bram, the illegitimate, half-Dutch/half-Javanese son of the ship’s carpenter, finds her hiding spot, Petra convinces him to help her stay hidden.
If Petra is discovered, she could be tossed overboard, or worse... returned to her father. And if Bram is exposed for helping her, he could lose the only home—and family—he has. As tensions rise on the ship, with pirate attacks, illness, and even mutiny, both Petra and Bram must make impossible decisions about friendship, loyalty, freedom, and survival. Told in alternating voices and filled with secrets and intrigue, this action-packed, richly researched novel is historical fiction at its best.
Reviews
“Yohalem’s thorough research, authentic nautical jargon, and sailors’ dialect brings this riveting tale to life. Adventures abound as Petra and Bram struggle through raging storms, rollicking battles with pirates, and deadly bouts of disease. Plots of mutiny heighten tensions and divide loyalties, and Bram and Petra are both dangerously caught in the middle, fighting for survival and a place to call home.” – School Library Journal
“The tweens are forced to make tough decisions about loyalty, friendship, and survival. Pirates, illness, mutiny, and storms on the high seas are the backdrop of an adventure that will have readers alternately breathless and cheering.” – Booklist
“Yohalem’s seafaring adventure is saturated with action and historical detail….As the ship faces illness, pirates, mutiny, and other hazards, Yohalem (Escape Under the Forever Sky) explores the limited options for women and minorities through Bram and Petra’s first-person narratives.” – Publisher’s Weekly