Faraway Things - Hardcover

Eggers, Dave

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316492191 ISBN 13: 9780316492195

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2021

Synopsis

This classic-feeling adventure tale from Newbery-winning author Dave Eggers (The Eyes & the Impossible) is an evocative tale of a boy and his sword, and how giving away something precious leads to an even more important discovery.

Lucian's father called them faraway things, those mysterious objects orphaned upon the windswept shore, their stories long lost in the shroud of ocean fog. Lucian's discovery on the beach this particular day, though, is no ordinary faraway thing. It's a cutlass: strong, shiny, and powerful. As its history comes to light, Lucian faces a choice: cling to the sword he loves or accept a gift that shines farther, wider, and deeper than he could have ever dreamed.

Stunningly illustrated with evocative art by Kelly Murphy and written by award-winning and bestselling writer Dave Eggers, here is a profound and resonant tale about the reward of letting go.

About this title

About the Author

Dave Eggers is the Newbery-winning author of The Eyes & the Impossible and a bestselling author of many books, including the National Book Award finalist A Hologram for the King. His books for younger readers include Abner & Ian Get Right-Side Up, What Can a Citizen Do?, Her Right Foot, and The Lifters. He is the founder of the independent publishing company McSweeney's, the college-access nonprofit ScholarMatch, and 826 Valencia, a writing center for young people in San Francisco. Eggers lives in Northern California.

Kelly Murphy has illustrated a number of acclaimed books for children, including the New York Times bestseller and recipient of the E. B. White Read Aloud Award Masterpiece by Elise Broach and Together We Grow by Susan Vaught. Raised in the swamps of southern New England, she occasionally made her way to the nearby ocean, where she found her own faraway things. Kelly currently lives in Providence and teaches at her alma mater, Rhode Island School of Design.

Reviews

Gr 3-5-Lucian loves searching for faraway things-items with no obvious owner-that have drifted ashore near his home. One day, after a great storm has raged through the night, Lucian happens upon a cutlass, and it is unlike anything he has found before. He carefully secures it to the wall of his bedroom, inspiring a series of dreams about his late father. After the fog clears, Lucian notices a large ship in the bay, stuck in a sandbar because there was no lighthouse to guide its passage. The ship's captain comes ashore and, because the cutlass is rightfully his, allows Lucian to choose another of the captain's treasures in exchange for the sword. Lyrical, descriptive language allows Lucian's story to gently unfold. The writing invites readers into a narrative that is deeper than it first appears; longer sentences and more nuanced storytelling make this title best suited to older elementary readers. This story is enjoyable to read aloud, though the illustrations deserve equal attention. Watercolor and ink bring Lucian's world to life in hues of primarily blue, gray, and brown, encapsulating the feel of a seaside home. Rich landscapes couple with minute detail, resulting in captivating and compelling visuals. Lucian and his mother are white, as are most of the ship's crew; however, the captain and a few of the other crew members have darker skin. VERDICT A beautiful story about adventure and honoring a father's memory, this is a noteworthy addition to elementary school libraries.-Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0316492191
• ISBN 13: 9780316492195
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Murphy Kelly
• Number of pages: 40