Data access

Can anyone recommend a lightweight and easy data access method that I can use to store a few records?  I could do a flat file but I'd like to go with something that has a little more to it and the book we're using recommends using a access database (ha, not gonna happen).  I'm using Eclipse and am a Java newbie so I'm looking to explore into some of the embedded DB's out there.  Any out there that can be accessed using simple SQL statements?

Thanks in advance!