Review
The year is 1945, the end of the Second World War. Two boys set off into the woods of Maine in search of The Great Appalachian Bear, which has not been seen for many years, and is believed by most to be dead. The boys' adventure is fraught with dangers – icy rivers, murderous pirates, brambles, catacombs, poisonous snakes. The perfect set-up for an adventure story. Which it is. But
Navigating Early is much more than that. It is also a quest for truth, meaning, and self.
The boys, Jack and Early, have each lost something dear to them, leaving them feeling abandoned and untethered. They need to find a way to fill the gaping holes in their hearts. While Early has a missing brother, Jack's mother has recently died, and his father, a navy officer, has distanced himself as he struggles with his own loss and pain. Jack lands at a boys' boarding school in Maine with...
Beyond the Book
Since the beginning of time, people have been looking up at the stars, connecting the fiery dots and telling stories about the images they create in the sky. Even in modern times, we are taught to see the man with a belt and a sword, the regal chair, a big dipper and a little one; once you've located at least an approximate location, Orion, Cassiopeia's Chair, the Big and Little Dipper, are fairly easy to identify, although it takes practice and real imagination to see a dragon, a swan, a crab, an archer or the many other constellations.
