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ARCH OF BONE

Jane Yolen

Continuing the story from where Moby Dick left off, this compelling boyhood adventure, penned by beloved author Jane Yolen (Owl Moon), hearkens to timeless coming of age tales of yore. Lovingly illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, the journey of a boy and his dog comes to life on the page, renewing the joy of a classic tale.

When a rough sailor called Ishmael turns up on a family's doorstep, even loyal dog Zeke knows that the news is ruinous.

Ishmael comes bearing the tragic tale of the Pequod: the whaling ship that fourteen-year-old Josiah's father served on as first mate. Ishmael presents himself as the sole survivor of the deadly journey, fatally lead by the vengeful Captain Ahab and his obsession with the legendary white whale, Moby Dick. But Josiah is not so certain his father's death was that simple. Especially when Ishmael looks so boldly at Josiah's devout Quaker mother.

Josiah is almost of age in Nantucket, and he still cherishes his dream of following in his father's footsteps. He is yet too young to sign on to a ship's crew, but he yearns to be at sea.

Yet adventure has a way of finding a boy and his dog. The true vision of his father's death?as well as the difficult tasks of surviving, growing up, and finding his strength?await Josiah, when he and Zeke discover the secrets of the Pequod at the mysterious Arch of Bone.
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Published 2021-11-01 by Tachyon Publications

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Arch of Bone is a historical novel that reanimates Nantucket's whaling history. In it, the aftermath of the Pequod's sinking is imagined on behalf of the families of those lost at sea. The result is a daring story in which a grieving son becomes his own kind of survivor. Read more...