The unexpected life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts : being an absolutely accurate autobiographical account of my follies, fortunes & fate written by himself

Cover image for The unexpected life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts : being an absolutely accurate autobiographical account of my follies, fortunes & fate written by himself

Title:

The unexpected life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts : being an absolutely accurate autobiographical account of my follies, fortunes & fate written by himself

Author:

Avi, 1937- author.

Summary:

In 1724 England, twelve-year-old Oliver Cromwell Pitts embarks on a journey from his seaside home in Melcombe Regis to London to find his father and his older sister, a journey filled with thieves, adventurers, and treachery.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

314 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Historical fiction.

Subject Term:

Runaway children -- Juvenile fiction.

Criminals -- Juvenile fiction.

Voyages and travels -- Juvenile fiction.

Geographic Term:

Great Britain -- History -- George I, 1714-1727 -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Algonquin Young Readers,

Publication Date:

2017

ISBN:

9781616205645

Publication Information:

Chapel Hill, North Carolina : Algonquin Young Readers, 2017.

Call Number:

M AVI

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003245670	Middle Fiction	AVI	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

High adventure from a master storyteller about one boy's attempt to fend for himself among cruel orphan masters, corrupt magistrates, and conniving thieves.

In the seaside town of Melcombe Regis, England, 1724, Oliver Cromwell Pitts wakes to find his father missing and his house flooded by a recent storm. He's alone in his ruined home with no money and no food. Oliver's father has left behind a barely legible waterlogged note: he's gone to London, where Oliver's sister, Charity, is in trouble. Exploring damage to the town in the storm's aftermath, Oliver discovers a shipwreck on the beach. Removing anything from a wrecked ship is a hanging offense, but Oliver finds money that could save him, and he can't resist the temptation to take it. When his crime is discovered, Oliver flees, following the trail of his father and sister. The journey is full of thieves, adventurers, and treachery--and London might be the most dangerous place of all.

In the tradition of his Newbery Honor book The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi mixes high adventure and short, page-turning chapters with a vivid historical setting featuring a cast of highwaymen, pickpockets, and villainous criminal masterminds.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2017

Author Notes

Avi is the author of the Newbery Medal novel Crispin: The Cross of Lead and the Newbery Honor books Nothing But the Truth and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle , among many other books for young readers. He lives in Colorado with his wife, an inventor. You can visit him online at www.avi-writer.com.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-6-An episodic plot, London in the early 1700s, and a boy named Oliver who falls in with thieves are all found in Avi's latest work. Oliver's father never recovered from the death of his wife, so he sinks deeper into drinking and gambling, neglecting Oliver and Oliver's older sister, Charity. With cliff-hangers at the end of every chapter and foreshadowing chapter titles, Avi maintains a brisk pace throughout. Themes of greed, survival, and loyalty are consistently articulated as well. Through the first-person narrative, readers experience the weight of the world pressing on Oliver, and Avi successfully uses this perspective to place readers in the 18th-century environment. The descriptions of place and time generally work well; however, there are a few moments that feel a bit like history lessons. In an afterword, Avi details what events and people in the tale are true and mentions a forthcoming adventure involving Oliver and Charity. VERDICT Avi's ability to write compelling historical fiction is evident here, and readers will want to stay tuned for the next installment.-Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

With dry wit and a strong Dickensian flavor, this first installment in Avi's Oliver Cromwell Pitts saga has an 18th-century British boy finding misfortune everywhere he turns. The adventure begins with a flood shaking 12-year-old Oliver awake in his home in Melcombe Regis, "a tenth of a mile from the sea." Wading through the waterlogged rooms of his three-story house, Oliver discovers that his father is missing. The only clue to Mr. Pitts's whereabouts is a drenched and almost illegible note that indicates he has rushed off to London to save Oliver's sister from a disastrous situation. Left behind with no money and an evil man threatening to send him to the poorhouse, Oliver knows his prospects are dim. In the days that follow, they grow even dimmer as he endures a string of captures, risky escapes, and dangerous run-ins with strangers and family members. Every cliffhanger-ending chapter will leave readers on the edge of their seats, wondering how Oliver will manage to survive his latest dilemma. Brimming with fast-paced action, evocative settings, and villains, this book reveals yet another side of Avi's talent. Ages 8-12. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.