PPBF: Hope At Sea

Today I'm thinking about hope. 

HOPE. I've seen it written Hang On Pain Ends.

I've heard it said that it's the only thing stronger than fear.

And that is can be found in the most parched of places.

So many thoughts on this important antidote, many of which

segue beautifully into today's PPBF.

Title: Hope At Sea

Author and Illustrator: Daniel Miyares

Publisher: Anne Swartz Books

Birth Date: November 9, 2021

Suitable for: ages 6-10

Themes: responsibility, courage, hope

Brief synopsis: Hope didn't want to just hear about her father's adventures, she wanted to experience them, so she stows away as his ship sets sail. Will her father forgive her? And more importantly, what lessons will she bring home from her adventure on the high seas?

Opening sentence: Whenever my world feels small, I turn to the sea.

Resources: 

See why Maria Marshall loves it {here}. 

Read a Kirkus review {here}.

Read a Publisher's Weekly review {here}.

Enjoy a sneak peek inside the book {here}.

Try the activities from Teaching Books {here}. 

Why I like this book: I'm actually most drawn to its hope-filled ending. But you're going to have to check out the book to find out more and figure out why. I love that the narrator's name is Hope and that she's just rebellious enough to stow away to get what she wants: An adventure on the high seas with her dad. It'll be a great discussion starter for your learners, to find out if they think what she did was wrong. Ask them to predict whether she's right that her father might be angry with her. Why or why not? Does her disappearance worry her mom? What might have been a better way to go about getting the adventure that her spirit craves?

Then read on and discover together what it takes to work on a boat. What responsibilities, chores or jobs do your learners have in their lives? What surprises them about her chores on the ship? 

Use this story as a springboard for your budding writers to create their own adventure story. Where do they want to go? How will they get there? What are they looking for? How will they know when they've found it?

Oh, Hope gets more than she bargains for when the storms come crashing in and the crew has to abandon ship. But don't worry; they do escape and find a shining light in their darkness.

A lighthouse with a beautiful name ... HOPE Shines.

I'll leave it there and invite you to check out

Hope At Sea: An Adventure Story.

Next, Step Gently Out to Susanna Hill's blog for more PPBF picks.