This is the most recent Newbery winner that I've read, and I thought it was pretty good. The subject matter was really interesting--it's basically a biography of Nathaniel Bowditch, who used math to figure out how to navigate the seas when there was no real reliable way to do it. I thought Latham did a good job translating the facts of his life (I'm guessing there was mostly fact in there) into a coherent storyline that was easy to read and interesting to younger readers. It definitely was stilted at times. But I think kids would enjoy reading about his adventures, especially if they're into ship/sailing stories. He definitely is a good example of someone pulling themselves up by their bootstraps and succeeding in life, by constantly studying and self-educating even when he couldn't go to school.
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