George at the Wheel; Or, Life in the Pilot-House

In 1865 America, a boy stands at the helm of a steamboat hurtling through the Mississippi's treacherous waters, and nothing less than his future hangs in the balance. George Ackerman has chased a dream that most would call impossible: to become a river pilot before he's even grown into a man. The pilot-house is his classroom, the winding river his teacher, and every mile he steers brings him closer to either disaster or destiny. But the river holds dangers that go beyond snags and sandbars. Rival pilots jealousy track his rising reputation, and sabotage lurks in the fog. When the waters turn violent and the weather turns cruel, George must prove that a young man with steady hands and sharper wits can hold his own against seasoned men who resent his ambition. The wheel kicks back, the boiler hisses, and every decision comes with life-or-death stakes. Castlemon, a master of boys' adventure fiction, delivers a ripping tale of ambition tested by danger. It's a window into an era when steamboats ruled the waterways and a boy could forge his own path through courage alone. Perfect for readers who love historical adventure and stories of young people rising against the odds.