A Young Girl's True Adventure In the early 1970s, the author's family set sail from the eastern coast of Australia in a ferro-cement ketch which the author's dad built himself in his spare time. The author's dad, seen at the tiller wearing a brown sweater in the photo above, built their yacht, the Berenice, in his spare time. The entire family, including the author (blonde head visible in the entrance to the main cabin in the center of the photo) and her younger sisters (one a newborn), began what they hoped would be a voyage around the world.
In Around the World in a Cement Boat (published 2013), Cheryl Trzasko tells of their adventures, including sailing through a cyclone (the southern hemisphere's version of a hurricane), exploring a deserted island, facing an oncoming oil tanker, avoiding pirates, eating peanut butter and onion sandwiches, and being rescued at sea. Written from a child's perspective (appropriate for middle grades readers and up), this book is full of real-life adventure. |