Born In The Breezes: The Voyages Of Joshua Slocum

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