Lightship, written and illustrated by Brian Floca. 48 pp., Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books (a Simon and Schuster imprint), 2007. $16.99.
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Before there was GPS navigation, there were many dangerous areas in deep water where lighthouses couldn’t be built. Enter the lightship.
Here is a ship that holds her place... She does not sail from port to port. She does not carry passengers or mail or packages. She holds to one sure spot as other ships sail by. She waits.
And what Brian Floca’s Ambrose and her crew are waiting for is fog and bad weather. Then with an ear-splitting foghorn — "Beeooh!" — the brilliant lights are lit atop the masts.
Floca’s cheery watercolor illustrations and simple language reveal a slice of history many children (and adults) will be unfamiliar with. His detailed pictures add elements to the tale that are great jumping-off points for talks about big waves, how boats are anchored, sea birds, jobs where people live in remote places, navigation and even sharks.
Inspired by the real Ambrose at dock in New York City, Floca did substantial research for the book yet leaves readers feeling like they’ve visited a lightship rather than a lecture.
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If you like this book, you might like: The Great Ships by Patrick O’Brien (author of the adult Aubrey-Maturin series); Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot Air Balloon Ride by Marjorie Priceman; and Fannie in the Kitchen: The Whole Story from Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements by Deborah Hopkinson.
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