stories of the time he spent at sea.
He was a great sailor, my grandpa.
On board his ship, he studied maps
and compasses and navigated the
oceans by the stars in the sky.
Whenever he began one of his tales,
he would look at me in a way that
embarrassed me a little. "All aboard!" he would yell."
This loving intergenerational tale is told by the grandson, who visits with his grandfather every Sunday. From his bed, the frail man tells stories from his days at sea. Grandpa lets his grandson know that the lines on his face tell the story of his happy, fulfilled life.
In fact, most of Grandpa's life was spent sailing the seas, and loving every minute of that time. In his earlier years, he would peacefully sail under starry skies from one place to the next. Each new place - Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania - offered many grand experiences. Spending time in each meant new learning, new discoveries and eventually, a wavering interest because the call of the sea was so strong. As he moved from place to place, he 'filled his luggage with stories'.
After spending so much of his life at sea, peaceful and inspired, a frightening storm changed the way he lived his life.
"When he opened his eyes, Grandpa
found America kneeling beside him.
Together they set out for the wide
horizon and passed through springs,
summers, autumns and winters side
by side.
With America, my grandpa found true
love. They married, worked hard, had
children and made a family."
Grandpa no longer felt the pull of the sea. Thus, he can now share his many stories with his beloved and curious grandson. Warm, loving and worthy of reading aloud for Grandparents Day in the coming-too-soon month of September.
Weberson Santiago's 'watercolor on paper, completed digitally' images are an absolute delight. Each of continents visited is represented by shape and iconic images created in vibrant colors, always surrounded by the sea's brilliant blue. Varying perspectives create constant interest and encourage lasting attention to each spread. The boundless sea vistas provide for the calm and peace Grandpa always found there.
What a journey this is - one readers will want to take again and again!
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