Oliver's Surprise
A Boy, a Schooner, and
The Great Hurricane of 1938
“A vivid glimpse of boatyard life for
a modern boy whisked back to his grandfather’s day, just before the
hurricane of ‘38”
—Molly
Bang, author and illustrator of
When Sophie Gets Angry
“For a kid smitten with the sea, an old schooner is the ideal
vehicle for going back in time. Through young Oliver’s eyes, Carol
Newman Cronin offers a view of life along the 1930s Jamestown waterfront,
just before the storm changed it forever. Above all, Oliver’s
Surprise reminds us of the connectedness of family and friends through generations.”
—John Burnham, Editor of Cruising World
“I sat down to read Oliver's Surprise in California and was immediately transported to Jamestown and Narragansett
Bay. This charming story—with lovely illustrations—captures two different eras in a very special
place.”
—Pease Glaser, Olympic Silver medalist
Longing to feel closer to his favorite grandfather, Oliver skips school on a sparkling September afternoon and hides out on a tired schooner.
When he wakes up on the ways of his grandfather’s boatyard and realizes he’s been transported back to 1938, he must decide what to do before the dangerous hurricane he’d been studying in school hits.
While the main character is a 12 year old boy, Oliver’s story, and the story of a powerful weather event, is more than appropriate for an adult audience.
Includes a glossary of terms and a short history of the Hurricane of 1938 that devastated the eastern seaboard.
· September 2008 marks the 70th anniversary of the storm.
Oliver's Surprise from Carol Newman Cronin on Vimeo
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Author
Carol Newman Cronin has sailed since childhood. In 2004, she crowned a lifetime of competitive achievement by winning two races for the USA at the Olympics in Athens. A member of the elite US Sailing Team from 2001-07, she has won numerous national and international sailing championships. Since retiring from Olympic sailing, Cronin has focused on writing and design from her home office in Jamestown, RI. She spends as many hours as possible on the water with her husband Paul, aboard a Herreshoff Marlin built in 1938.