Jean Lee Latham's Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (first published in 1955) is a children's biography about Nathaniel Bowditch, an American sailor, and mathematician responsible for one of the most essential books for seamen of the 18th and 19th centuries: The American Practical Navigator.
Latham's book starts in Revolutionary War-era Salem, Massachusetts, and follows Bowditch and his family, all of whom enjoy roaming the high seas. But his life isn't an easy one. His family struggles financially, dashing his hopes of attending Harvard University. To cope with their financial difficulties, Bowditch's family sells him into indentured servitude. While at his work site, Bowditch works to educate himself on various topics across the world, including things like Latin, French, and mathematics. Eventually, his masters instruct him to become a navigator on one of his ships. While there, he navigates the challenges of living on a boat while compiling navigational data into The American Practical Navigator.
In 1956, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch received the prestigious Newbery Medal, which is awarded to "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children." In their review of the novel, Kirkus Reviews called the novel "A readable biography of the man who was scarcely out of his teens before he had written the authoritative book on navigation still used at Annapolis."
