[Bloody Jack 03] • Under The Jolly Roger

From School Library JournalGrade 7 Up–Leaving Boston behind her, Jacky Faber, 15, is on the run again. In this third installment in the series, the orphan girl from the streets of London returns to her native land in search of her true love, James Jaimy Fletcher. But Jacky's free and easy spirit can never stay away from trouble, and she finds herself onboard a royal naval ship once again, but it is a ship that is filled with a mutinous crew and an incompetent captain. Jacky has to use her wits to keep out of the captain's lecherous hands, and in good standing with her mates. In a surprising turn of events, the resourceful teen finds herself in charge of the crew and is surprisingly good at it. But how long will it last? Meyer thrills readers once again with the protagonist's misadventures. Neither the series nor Jacky show any signs of slowing down as this exciting tale barrels along with more adventures, romance, piracy, and the return of some familiar faces. Jacky is a wonderful character, full of high spirits, brains, and heart. This novel and its two prequels are highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and pirates.–Anna M. Nelson, Collier County Public Library, Naples, FL  

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. Not for the squeamish or fainthearted, this sequel to Bloody Jack (2002) andCurse of the Blue Tattoo (2004) follows 15-year-old Jacky Faber as she steps off a whaler at Gravesend in 1804 and sets out for London in search of her beloved Jaimy. When the happy reunion she has planned is aborted by a misunderstanding, Jacky takes to the streets in boy's clothing, only to be abducted by a press-gang, sent to sea aboard a British warship, and nearly raped by its captain. The tables turn when she takes control of the ship and has new adventures on the high seas. After finding (and losing) her true love once again, Jacky sets sail for Boston, where her adventures can be expected to continue. Readers will root for resilient Jacky and her memorable friends as she cannily makes the best of even the least-promising situations. A swashbuckling saga with a decidedly unconventional heroine. Carolyn Phelan