Molly Waldo! A Young Man's First Voyage to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Adapted from the Stories of Marblehead Fishermen of the 1800s

Drawing on historical events, the mother-daughter team of Priscilla L. and Bethe Lee Moulton vividly capture life in a 19th-century New England fishing community. Inspired by the paintings of J.O.J. Frost%E2%80%94and fleshed out with biographies, a map, other artwork, and a glossary%E2%80%94this coming-of-age tale follows fictional 16-year-old Jon Bowen on his first voyage aboard the fishing schooner Fides. As he battles the elements and learns the ropes, he encounters a colorful cast of characters who help him to survive along the way. The authors' narrative is crisp and packed with details, providing readers with an authentic account of the perilous life of 19th-century fishermen. Frost's art, reproduced in black-and-white and full-color plates, is evocative, whimsical, and dramatic. This accessible, entertaining, and educational book should appeal to readers young and old.