Carry on, Mr. Bowditch
by Jean Lee Latham
Nathaniel knows math like no one else in Salem and learning is what he loves best. But due to a string of bad luck in his family, Nathaniel must leave school and becomes an indentured servant for the ship chandlers. During his nine years of indenture, Nat learns about ships and how to become a successful navigator. This fictional biography is not only an American success story but gives lots of information about America's shipping industry following the American Revolution.