First Sail

By Richard Henderson

Book Overview

This entertaining and beautifully illustrated book introduces children to the basics of sailing. Adam, a young boy from the city, yearns to learn how to sail. When his aunt and uncle invite him to visit one summer, his cousin, Beth, takes him out in her sailboat. As they head for Dutch Ship Island, Beth shows Adam many of the things he will need to know to become a sailor--skills he must put into action when a thunderstorm arises. Here is a delightful adventure story that holds young readers' interest while they absorb from labeled drawings many of the fundamentals necessary to begin sailing: basic nautical terms, points of sailing, channel markers and buoys, safety equipment, a few knots and bends, something about clouds and weather, anchoring, handling sails, and even crew overboard procedures. Middle grades-ages 7-10.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0870334425
• ISBN13: 9780870334429
• Release Date: September 1993
• Publisher: Schiffer Kids
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 11.1" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Excellent book for teaching young children about sailing

My son loves this book. It has taught him much about sailing in a fun and entertaining way. He likes having it read to him as a bedtime story.

Written to teach young folks how to safely ride a boat

Richard Henderson's First Sail is more than a warmly illustrated picturebook. It is an educational adventure, written to teach young folks how to safely ride a boat out on the waves. Every single page spread has an important selection of facts, vocabulary, knots, or sailing techniques, all with diagrams, all crucial for a brand new sailor just starting out. In fact, most adults will find a fascinating wealth of brand new information, unless they've been sailing for so long they know what beating to windward is, or the difference between a bowline and a fisherman's bend knot. With splendid illustrations by Jennifer Heyd Wharton throughout, the story itself is a sailing adventure that incorporates all the things and techniques of sailing shown in the sidebars. Very highly recommended.