Fleeing from agents of the new communist government in Vietnam, an old man and three children begin an endless and seemingly hopeless struggle for survival as boat people.
Boats and ships
Close To The Wind: The Beaufort Scale
In 1810, a British naval officer and surveyor named Francis Beaufort developed a scale to give sailors a common language for describing the wind. From 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane), stunning artwork and jaunty prose show what life at sea must have been like for a young boy serving as a midshipman in the 1800s. As William sails from Naples to the Caribbean, we learn intriguing historical information and nautical terminology, and witness how the wind affected day-to-day life on a ship. Detailed illustrations show the wind at work, and readers will be engrossed and fascinated as they watch the storm develop in magnificent full-color paintings.
Lord Of The Deep
Fishing. This is it, the big time. Mikey’s 13, a deckhand working on a charter boat in Hawaii. Working for the best skipper anywhere, his stepdad, Bill. Before Bill came along, it was just Mikey and his mom. Now they’re a real family, and Mikey has a little brother. He can’t believe how lucky he is. And now he’s learning from the best, even though he’s only 13. Because Bill believes in him. And Mikey won’t let him down. He loves fishing and being out on the boat. But some seas, some fish, and some charter clients are a lot tougher to handle than Mikey ever imagined. Take Ernie and Cal—they chartered Bill’s boat for three days and they’re out for the adventure of their lives. Now it’s up to Mikey and Bill to deliver it.
The Summer Of The Marco Polo
The wreck of a great sailing ship inspires a budding author.
Troll Blood
Peer and Hilde are thirsty for adventure. When a Viking longship arrives in their village, they set sail, eager to explore the world. The Water Snake is heading for Vinland, a place far across the sea inhabited by a civilization of people and new mysterious creatures, some good and some perilous. But dangers untold lie closer than Peer and Hilde could have imagined. The ship’s captain and his sword-wielding son are not what they seem, and Peer is forced to flee alone into the wild unknown. When dark forces and kindly creatures both vie for his life, Peer must rely on the help of strangers and befriends the natives of Vinland. At the end of it all, where will his loyalty lie? In this final novel in the Troll trilogy, Katherine Langrish crafts a rich story where Viking legend is intertwined with Native American life and lore based on the Mi’kmaq people. As mysteries abound, Peer and Hilde struggle to survive in a new realm of wonder and menace.
Manjiro: The Boy Who Risked His Life for Two Countries
In 1841, Japan had been closed to the outside world for 250 years, and anyone who tried to return to the country after leaving it could be executed. So when the small fishing boat on which 14-year-old Manjiro was working was shipwrecked, he despaired of ever returning to his village. The captain of the American whaling ship that rescued Manjiro took a special interest in him, inviting him to come live in Massachusetts. There, Manjiro was treated like Captain Whitfield’s son, and he began to feel as though Massachusetts was his second home. Still, he never gave up his dream of finding a way to return to Japan and see his mother again. Watercolor illustrations bring to life the true story of a determined and resourceful young man whose intimate knowledge of two cultures later led him to play an important role in the opening of Japan to Western trade and ideas.
On Rough Seas
At 14, Alec knows what he wants to be: a seaman. Instead of working at his family’s inn, he prefers roaming through the busy streets and docks of Dover. When the captain of the Britannia, one of the fishing vessels in the Channel, asks him to be a galley boy, he seizes the opportunity in spite of his father’s objections. On his first day at sea, he weathers a severe storm similar to the one that took the life of his cousin and best friend, Georgie, months earlier. Alec still feels guilty for having not been able to save Georgie. England is at war with Germany, and soon Alec is doing more than swabbing the deck and handling the ropes of the fishing vessel. He wonders why shadowy figures are disappearing into the tunnels under the old stone castle and who the special soldiers being billeted at the inn are. Then comes terrible news: hundreds of thousands of British forces are trapped on the beach at Dunkirk. All ships in the Channel, large and small, are ordered to undertake a massive evacuation. Alec’s transformation from galley boy to courageous seaman is a riveting journey in this dramatic debut novel.
The Lamp, The Ice, And The Boat Called Fish: Based On A True Story
In 1913, a Canadian Arctic Expedition becomes stranded in the Arctic.
The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems And Paintings From The Middle East
A collection of poetry and artistic works by people from the Middle East invites readers to explore a mosaic of culture, tradition, and common human ground, and includes additional notes of interest about the contributors.
Crabbe
One night, just before final exams, 18-year-old Franklin Crabbe–smart, rich yet unhappy and a semi-alcoholic–packs his gear and drives away into the woods to disappear completely.