Off the coast of California, hit by a whale, grandpa's 55-foot
fishing schooner sank, taking grandpa with it, leaving Rachel and Boo
alone, fighting to stay alive in a free-floating life raft on an
ocean filled with sharks. Their fortress against nature was an orange
tent-like canopy atop three black inner tubes, with a rubberized
floor thin enough to feel the water moving beneath them. Two levels
of the story are told from 14-year-old Rachel's point of view: the
current struggle for survival, and memories of past events involving
grandfather. The latter bring the reader a rich picture of his
personality, the reason for and details about schooner Wyndego's
creation, and family relationships. In addition to the personal
insights, there are the dangerous mini adventures that all lend depth
to the novel: the use of a gun in "fishing" for salmon, the fishing
fleet's paranoia about "hot spots," enforcing the rules of the sea
and of fishing boats, and the danger of fishing in freighter lanes.
The novel is off to a quick start with the shipwreck and Rachel's and
Boo's reluctant acceptance of grandfather's death and the loss of the
boat. Dealing with their own possible fate rapidly moves from
contemplation to action to survive. Their food soon exhausted and
their water turned putrid, they manage to catch flying fish and eat
them raw, use fish entrails for bait, eat fish eyeballs for liquid.
They wrestle a sea turtle onboard, but keep only her eggs and return
her to the sea. They outride a thrashing lightening storm. They
suffer cold, wet nights sitting in fish slime and sea salt, while
listening for hissing leaks in the raft's floor as Eldorado attack.
They patch the floor time and time again with 90% ingenuity and 10%
materials. They sunburn and blister from the hot, blazing sun of the
day. Rachel gets food poisoned. Brother Boo is the mainstay until
rescue finally comes. MaryAnn Easley is a resident of California. She
is a member of PEN, SCBWI, National Writers Association, California
Teachers Association and NEA. An educator and a gifted writer, she
paints a total picture of fishing for salmon aboard a two-mast,
gaff-rigged schooner and crafts a wonderful sea adventure in which
brother and sister team together to problem solve getting food and
water and keeping their survival raft afloat. The fishing lingo is
accurate. The imagery is stunning BELLY UP! is a
kid's-against-the-elements page - turner!
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