The Mary Celeste: An Unsolved Mystery from History

Unsolved Mysteries from History

by Jane Yolen, Heidi E.Y. Stemple, Roger Roth (Illustrator)

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, set off on the high seas to a ghost ship left completely abandoned and adrift on the waves.

The Mary Celeste was discovered adrift on the open sea by another ship in 1872—with no sign of captain or crew. What happened? Did the crew mutiny? Were they attacked by pirates? Caught in a storm? No one ever found out. Inside this book are the clues that were left behind and the theories of what people think happened aboard that ship.

Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

Genres: Picture Books, History, Mystery, Nonfiction, Childrens, Historical, Middle Grade

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story begins with a modern day young girl who wants to be a detective. Her dad is a reporter and that's like being a detective. She presents the facts of the Mary Celeste, asks important questions that might help solve the mystery and allows the reader to draw their own conclusions.

I don't think I've heard this story before. It's certainly something I would have been interested in, being obsessed with the 19th-century. I like how she (the narrator and the author) has text boxes to introduce unfamiliar vocabulary to readers. The story is captivating and I really don't have a clue except that they must have felt they were in immediate danger and grabbed and dashed off. If the Captain and family left to go visiting the crew would have been left behind. Likewise some of the crew would have remained if others went off on an expedition.

This is a good mystery book for older kids 7-10 to read on their own even though it's a picture book.

[Zayd Tarjuman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good and talked about the ship and a lot of theories about what happened on it. Great book.

[Ro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved it. I couldn't really understand it, though. Mystery books are a little bit hard for me. But it still was good. Borrowed it from my friend.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mary Celeste: An Unsolved Mystery from History by Jane Yolen, illustrated Heidi E.Y. Stemple, is a look at the disappearance of the crew of the Mary Celeste in 1872 in the Atlantic Ocean. A young girl realtes the facts and theories about the case, and challenges readers to solve the mystery.

The text clearly presents the facts and theories surrounding the disappearance of the crew and passengers. The format includes definitions of nautical terms, a map, timeline and notes by the girl narrator.

The illustrations were done with transparent watercolor, with pencil for detail and texture. They support the text and are well rendered, drawing readers into the story.

Of the six thories mentioned, I personally favor either the frightened crew theory or the weather theory, or a combination of the two. The crew could have been frightened by alcohol fumes - fearing an explosion, or a seaquake - fearing sinking, leading them to abandon ship. The weather theory culd be a seaquake. The disappearance of the crew could be explained by severe weather that caused the line linking the ship and lifeboat to be severed, leaving the lifeboat to drift away and be capsized.

The story could be extended through writing or study of the case through books or available websites.

For readers grades five and up, mysteries, history, theories, and fans of Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple.

[Rachel Driscoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1872, a 100 foot schooner named "The Mary Celeste" left New York harbor only to be found adrift exactly one month later off the coast of Portugal. The captain had aboard his wife and two year old daughter, and was known for being a good seaman and fair leader. The ship showed no signs of violence and there was plenty of food stored. The story of the abandoned ship remains a mystery to this day.
This picture book is delightfully illustrated and each page in addition to telling the story, also has a notebook entry from the point of view of the narrator; a girl who explains that she likes to be a detective of "history's mysteries." Each page also has colorful little boxes that serve as a form of glossary to explain nautical terms. "The Mary Celeste" would lend itself to a study of history's unsolved stories. The final page lays out theories put forth over the years to explain the abandoned ship, and it would be a great way to have students claim and defend an opinion on what may have happened to the Mary Celeste.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT!
"But Dad says no mystery is impossible to solve as long as you have enough clues." That's correct, and there aren't enough clues here to solve it - that would explain why it hasn't been solved. It's been 145 years since the ship was abandoned. Who knows if there are any clues to be found now? There are six possibilities given as to why the ship was empty of all people, each with good questions for the reader to ponder and answer from the evidence provided in the book. The author invites the reader to make their own theory. Very well written and illustrated.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am inexplicably fascinated by ships, shipwrecks, and ghostships, so I am familiar with the story of the Mary Celeste. It's a great tale and a great mystery. This book did not do that story justice. It was boring, disjointed, and the illustrations left much to be desired. Unfortunate, since I really do like the idea of mysteries from history being made accessible to children via children's literature.

[Jennifer Sommer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the Unsolved Mystery from History series. A true account of a ship named the Mary Celeste which was found abandoned 600 miles off the shores of Portugal in 1872. A crew of 10, including the captain’s wife and 2-year-old daughter, vanished without a trace leaving the ship and its contents undisturbed. The story is revealed by a young girl aspiring to be a detective who studies the clues from this “open” case and attempts to solve the disappearance. Her theory is never revealed and her hope is that the reader has devised his own theory. This intriguing story allows the reader the chance to study the clues and come up with a theory to explain this unsolved mystery. The text is accompanied by a “notebook” that provides additional information to help explain the circumstances as well as definitions to the sea terms and other unfamiliar words used. A time line and map show the progress of the Mary Celeste, and the six most popular theories of the time are examined. The illustrations are watercolor and pencil and clearly enhance the story by graphically explaining any questions the reader may have concerning the account. The text and illustrations work beautifully together. Includes a bibliography for further reading. This would be a great read-aloud and discussion starter. Although it has a picture book format, this book would be of interest to children in grades 2-5.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Yolen offers a straightforward but still fun introduction for kids to the mystery of the ship Mary Celeste. In 1872, the British ship Dei Gratia (Latin for "by the grace of God") found the Mary Celeste drifting in the North Atlantic ocean, 400 miles off the coast of the Azores. The crew of the Dei Gratia boarded the Mary Celeste, found absolutely no one on board, but also no evidence of struggle or trauma of any kind. Everything looked as if the people had just stepped away for a moment. To this day, definitive answers baffle and elude historians.

Still, Yolen's approach encourages young readers to continue to seek answers and enjoy the process of research, whether you end up finding the answers or not. Lots of pertinent sailing terminology is also provided to give readers an authentic feel of the era and environment of the Mary Celeste.

[Makenna Eash · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informational Nonfiction
Grades 1-5
I love a good mystery, so this book was interesting. I liked that each page included definitions of words and objects that were found in the book. I think this book has a lot of good factual information, but I would have loved to learn more from this book. I also really liked that the book included some of the well-known theories that historians have about what happened to the ship, Mary Celeste.

[asiya | アセヤ (free palestine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read!

it inspired and intrigued both the reader and writer- I was provoked!

It felt fast and fun, something that children need to have when reading a historical fiction book, and the language was very clear and meaningful, which made it better adapted to a young audience.

This book is counted as "special..." because of the mystery solving parts and clues thrown throughout as well as the choice to pick in the end.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I previewed this book before giving it to my grandchildren for Christmas. In 1872 the ship Mary Celeste was discovered abandoned off the coast of Portugal with the captain and crew gone. This picture book is a good introduction to the story of the Mary Celeste and now I am interested in reading more about this classic of unsolved mysteries.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative book about the true mystery of the Mary Celeste. My daughter liked the historical elements of the story, but found the modern day narrator at the beginning and ending to be unnecessary. Also, my child was disappointed by the lack of closure at the end (but that couldn't be helped).

[Sean Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is framed by a young girl who goes through all the possible theories as to the ship's mysteries. I can see this being a great introduction to forming of young detective brains (before wikipedia emerged on the scene that is with more thorough details).

[Krista Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

My eleven-year-old and I read this together and after I couldn't get it out of my mind.
How had I never heard of the Mary Celeste???
What a fascinatingly chilling mystery and this book brings it down to a kid's level and interest.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Mystery
Unique Feature: On each page there is what looks to be like sticky notes with key words or new vocabulary words that children might not know explained on them.
Grade: 1-4

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unsatisfying ending due to lack of evidence...the beginning makes it sound like it's possible to solve.

[Kelley Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real life mystery presented in a fiction book. I thought it was really interesting, and somehow I had never heard the tale. The note format made it a little choppy for me, but overall really good

[Andrea Renfrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiddo absolutely loves these unsolved mystery picture books. I love using them to introduce or fill in topics along the timeline as we study history.

[L Kilgore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very interesting and the way it makes you look for clues is super fun! It helps build your detective skills and I can't help but try and solve the mystery.

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reqd this with my 4th grader and lived it. Cant wait to read the others in this series.

[Christine Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I would not choose this book for storytime; I think that it would be a better choice for one on one reading. If you are a parent, please read the book, before sharing it with your children.
Summary
In 1872, another ship came across the "Mary Celeste" adrift on the open sea. Her captain, crew, and passengers -- the captain's wife and two-year-old daughter -- had vanished. Did a storm over take them? Did the crew mutiny? Were they attacked by pirates? No one ever found out. Become a detective as you read this true story, study the clues, and try to figure out the fate of the "Mary Celeste." The Unsolved Mystery from History series is written by acclaimed author Jane Yolen and former private investigator Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple. Read carefully and check your clues. You might be the first to solve a puzzle that has baffled people for years.

Author Notes
Jane Yolen was born February 11, 1939 in New York City. She received her BA from Smith College in 1960. After college, she became an editor in New York City and wrote during her lunch break. She sold her first children's book, Pirates in Petticoats, at the age of 22. Since then, she has written over 300 books for children, young adults and adults. Her other works include the Emperor and the Kite, Owl Moon, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? and The Devil's Arithmetic, which tells the story of the life of a Jew in a concentration camp. She has won a multitude of medals for her work including the Kerlan Award, the Regina Medal, the Keene State Children's Literature Award, the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, the Golden Kite Award, the Jewish Book Award, the World Fantasy Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Association of Jewish Libraries Award. (Bowker Author Biography)

Subject:
Ship
International maritime signal flags
Genre:
Historical Fiction
Detective and mystery stories

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mary Celeste features a young girl narrator as she tells the story of a famous unsolved historical mystery. The story itself is a great topic for a book—the Mary Celeste was found in the Atlantic in 1872 without its crew and without any clues of what might have happened to them. Even over one hundred years later, no one has a conclusive theory. The narrator lays out the facts of the case and the leading theories that have been presented. Each page is dynamic: a narrative about sailors finding the abandoned ship is presented alongside a notebook page where the narrator outlines possible explanations, and boxes that define key nautical terms, all surrounding an illustration of the narrative. This book has quite a bit of text and some challenging words, so it may be intimidating to some young readers. I recommend briefly explaining the mystery and getting kids thinking about what could have happened before beginning the book itself. This will arouse their curiosity about the mystery enough that they may be willing to work through the text. You also might break the story up into sections, presenting just one theory per day and taking time to discuss it.
What’s great about this book is that it shows that stories from history can be just as fascinating as fiction. It also shows children that there are a lot of questions that haven’t been definitively answered. Examining the different theories encourages critical thinking and shows children that their ideas are worthwhile and can also contribute to the discussion surrounding the mystery. While some children may reject the text-heavy non-fiction story, others will be intrigued by the unsolved mystery. (I also love that the narrator is a girl—I read this story with a first-grade boy and he expressed surprise that the “detective” was a girl, since he wouldn’t expect that girls could do things like that!)

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book we've read in the Unsolved Mysteries from History series by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple.

The two books have the same concept: a young girl tries to discover the truth behind one of the unsolved mysteries in history, and uses research, critical thinking, and deductive reasoning to come up with her answer. The interesting part is that she never gives her own opinion about the solution to the mystery, but invites the reader to draw her own conclusion, based on the evidence presented.

We were intrigued by this mystery and I liked the way that the different theories were supported and/or discounted. The narrative is fun to read aloud and we loved the pencil and watercolor illustrations. We really enjoyed reading this book together and we will certainly look for more of the books from this series at our local library.

[Nichole Sedler]

Written by Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabeth Yolen Stemple, illustrated by Roger Roth, published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, copyright year 1999.

Summary: A ship is found floating at sea in 1872 with no crew and no clear signs as to how they disappeared. The story is written from the perspective of a young girl and is filled with her research notes.

Response: Beautifully illustrated. A very intriguing story about a true historical mystery. I like the bits of factual information throughout the story on what looks like note paper and post-it notes. It makes it look like on on-going mystery that the audience can participate in. I also like that it includes a list of popular explanations for the crew’s disappearance.

Possible Units: An Introduction to Historical Research/Historical Fiction, Great for a reading lesson about inference and using post-it notes to jot down your thoughts.

[lprater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of literature unit:

The Mary Celeste is an unsolved mystery from history retold in this fantastic story. Yolen tells the story of how Captain Morgan and his crew came upon the ship, Mary Celeste. Floating abandoned at sea, members of Captain Morgan’s crew board their find and become quite puzzled to whereabouts of the ten people who had been on board. Yolen shares important information with the reader in the form of notes, which include definitions for unfamiliar words and information about ships, cargo and the events leading up to and after the Mary Celeste had been found. The book is illustrated in soft tones and the book has several two page spreads. The book jacket has an eerie image of a lonely ship on the sea at night. Teachers can use this book as a springboard for student independent research for the Mary Celeste or another actual unsolved mystery from history. I would recommend this book for grades 4-8.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED it! The mystery of the Mary Celeste and her missing crew is presented in notes, maps, timelines, and wordlists encouraging readers to think critically about the facts and come to their own conclusion as the mystery remains unsolved.

The most popular theories are presented after the facts are laid out and beneath each theory is a set of questions that prompt readers to recall the specific information that may prove or discount each theory.

Pencil drawings colored with watercolors.

This is one of those books that makes history super exciting. With the way the story pieces together different types of information this title would be a recommendable Common Core book.

Recommended for grades 3-5.

[Kathleen Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story of a ship from 1872 found adrift at sea with no sign of captain or crew. The book walks you thorugh the evidence found at the scene, backstory of many of the people on board and through each popular theory of what happened to the people on the boat.

As a teacher, I bought this book because it fit nicely into not only the nonfiction section of my classroom library but the mystery section as well. I was impressed by the format: story text and notes to provide background knowledge. I used this as a read aloud in my classroom to show how questioning techniques help with comprehension. My students enjoyed the real life mystery of the book and the illustrations were lovely.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1800

This is the final book in the Unsolved Mystery from History series and I think it may be my favorite yet. Like The Wolf Girls, I had not heard about the Mary Celeste before this book, but this mystery was just so enthralling! A crew that just disappears?!?! How?!?! After reading the book, I spent hours online reading about the Mary Celeste and it is so interesting. There are so many websites and opinions and theories—all which would be so much fun to share with students.

[Kara]

A historical fiction mystery follows a young girl who is being a detective and looking into the mysteries of a lost ship; The Mary Celeste. This book is unique in that it reveals clues about the mystery, and also includes the girl's thoughts about the mystery and what she thinks happened to the ship. At the end of the story, it is never revealed what happened to the ship so it is up to the reader to become a detective on their own and solve a mystery using inferences and ask questions while reading.