The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed by Heather Vogel Frederick

The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed was a really good book about a girl named Patience and her little brother Thaddeus who join their father, a captain on a Nantucket whaling ship, after their mother's death. Patience learns how to chart their course on a map and to tie knots. She also finds a way to get a cat, even though her father made her leave her fat cat behind. Patience has no idea why she's named Patience, because she certainly isn't patient. Her patience is put to the test when sneaky crew members maroon her father and brother along with most of the loyal members of the crew on a island. Patience stays and is forced to cook for them  and clean the ship, but she finds away to save everyone with the help of some unlikely people... I recommend this book and it's sequel, The Education of Patience Goodspeed, too. They teach about whales, ships, and more. I think you should read these books today!