This book is a story of a great adventure. A little boy start a lonesome journey to his homein Maine. When he sets sail he can only think of the legend of Captain Slocum, the firstan to set sail around the world and was neve seen again. Latr in the day his ship flips over and he is pulld aboard another ship by the hand of Captain Slocum and the whole adventure began.
I though the illustrations in this book really help the reader imagine what is going on and they tell the story so that the reader feels like they are on the sea as well. The book would be great for young as well as old who have a love for the sea. The author connects a true-life legend with a young boy and his journey home.
I would recommend this book because it tells a story of survival and hard work as well as a great adventure. ~Kellie

I really enjoyed this book. The detailed pictures that filled each page made you feel like you were sailing at sea as well. Justin, a young boy who sets off in his dory, to get away from the new life he doesn't like. The strong winds work against him throwing him into the water. He is then helped by Joshua Slocum who teaches him how to work with the sailboat not against it. As Justin heads home Joshua fades away underneath the sea. He is no longer sailing the Spray, he is back on his own little dory. This story incorporates the true story of Joshua Slocum's sailing adventures with the fictional adventures of Justin. Joshua and Justin are both similar in the way that they didn't fit into their lifestyle and set out on their sailboats to escape that life. I think this book is better for older children to read because it could be confusing for younger readers. Also some of the pictures are very realistic and may not be suited for some younger readers. As an older reader I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned about the life and accomplishments of Joshua Slocum and got to read an interesting story about the adventures Justin encounters on his day out at sea.

My three stars are in no way a disrespectful gesture towards Joshua Slocum and his magnificent voyage. His bravery will go unmatched by many. However, rating his story on a literary scale, I can't give it more than a three. If you're not a sailor, and I'm not, then you may find yourself bogged down by many sea/boat terms. On the other hand, if you have worked on a boat, or enjoy sailing, then you will love this story. I might also note that at times the story becomes repetitive, but it is not without its witty and suspenseful moments. This account of Slocum's courageous voyage around the world would probably only appeal to those that already have some knowledge of the sea. I guess its all relative.

Joshua Slocum was the first person to sail single-handed around the world. Unlike today's solo around the world sailors Slocum was not a yachtsman, but had been variously skipper and owner-skipper of large sailing trading ships that plied the oceans of the world. His voyages included many across the Atlantic Ocean and several to the Pacific, including trading ventures to China, Japan and the Pacific Islands. Slocum was also different to modern day around the world sailors in that he made his around the world voyage near the end of his sailing career, at the age of fifty five. Slocum was declared dead on 14 November 1909 at the age of 65. This was the date he set sail on his final voyage. His course was into an Atlantic gale, and neither he nor his boat Spray was seen or heard of later.

Slocum's father was a farmer in the maritime province of Nova Scotia which was one of the leading sailing and ship-building centres of the world in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Slocum was one of eleven children, was born on the Bay of Fundy, spent only two years in school and gained all his sailing and boat building skills on the job. When he was twenty-five Slocum was offered command of an American coasting schooner. His next command took him the to Australia where he met and married Virginia Walker of Strawberry Hill, Sydney. Later, Slocum would spend considerable time cruising the coast of Australia from Tasmania to the Torres Strait during his around the world voyage.

As the nineteenth century drew to a close steam ships began to eat into the fishing and coastal and international trading business previously the sole dominion of sailing ships. In 1887 Slocum's ship the Aquidneck was stranded on a sand bar off the coast of Brazil and was raked by heavy seas for three days which wrecked the ship. Slocum managed to save his ship-building tools and some material from the wreck. In eighteen months, using timber felled by him and sails sewn by his (second) wife Hettie, Slocum built a 35-foot sailing canoe which he named the Liberdade, as the boat was launched on the day Brazilian slaves were freed. He sailed the Liberdade 5,500 miles in fifty-three days back to Washington DC.

Slocum's boat the Spray, which he used for his around the world voyage had previously been an oysterman on Chesapeake Bay, and was completely rebuilt by Slocum. Although in keeping with tradition the name of the boat was preserved, the boat was deliberately rebuilt with different characteristics by Slocum. For example, he increased the freeboard particularly at the bow and stern in preparation for his ocean-going venture. The Spray was thirty-six feet nine inches long, had a beam of fourteen feet and a draft of four feet two inches, and weighed nine tons. She had a full-length wooden keel which was about one foot deep at the bow and about three feet deep at the stern. Slocum tells of the Spray's ability to sail a constant course with the wheel lashed when about two points off the wind for days on end.

During his around the world voyage he was introduced to many dignitaries in many countries. In South Africa Slocum made the mistake of telling the President of the Transvaal Paul Kruger that he was sailing "around" the world. Kruger corrected him saying that he meant sailing "on" the world, because Kruger believed the world was flat.

The book is fascinating to read and has appeal for anyone interested in the history of sailing and of life at the turn on the nineteenth century.

My feeling, upon finishing this book, was that I wish I'd had the opportunity to meet this remarkable man. What a great story of adventure as Slocum sets out in the Spray to sail solo around the world. He seems to have such a wonderful attitude about the whole thing, never really taking anything too seriously, but just enjoying the whole epic. It is incredible that this was done way back in 1895, long before the sophisticated navigational aides sailors and yachtsmen have available today. Yet, he seems to almost casually find his way around the world, meeting interesting people, avoiding mishaps and just generally having a great time. His writing is simple and a joy to read. It's a wonderful story for all ages and certainly not surprising that it has been so popular over the years.