From School Library Journal
Gr 1-4-A fine, beautifully rendered book. In the mid-1800s, 14-year-old Slocum ran away to sea to escape the drudgery of his father's boot shop. By the time he was 25, he was a sea captain. Married life and child rearing took place aboard ship. Nine chapters take readers through the Slocums' travels and adventurous experiences. Oil paintings, many of which are full- or double-page, capture the bold feel of this story. However, readers may be left wanting a bit more detail about some of the incidents and events described. Also, there is no glossary for words that may need some explanation, such as brigantines and Chinese junk. No source notes are included, although Slocum's autobiography and biography are quoted at the head of several chapters. However, these concerns are minor. This is a wonderful story, remarkably illustrated, especially suited for classroom reading.
Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 3-5. Joshua Slocum, who grew up in Nova Scotia in the mid-1800s, went to sea in his teens and spent his life as a sailor and later a captain of sailing ships. He married an adventurous woman, who joined him on his travels and raised their children at sea. Toward the end of the century, "the age of the great sailing ships was drawing to a close," and Slocum found himself out of work. He repaired an old sloop and, in 1898, became the first man to sail around the world alone. This smoothly written story is illustrated with handsome oil paintings. A typical spread includes a large (often full-page) impressionistic painting and a smaller one, along with a few paragraphs of text. The artwork is somewhat sophisticated, but it is still accessible for the intended age group. An interesting introduction to an intriguing man. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
