I got this softcover, a 2011 Newbery Honor book, from Better World Books. It's a novel inspired by the real-world adventures of Nakahama Manjirō, who was stranded on an island with a few friends as a teenager after a storm wrecked their boat, and went from there to voyaging on an American whaling ship. He wound up getting an education in a Massachusetts seacoast town and a new career as well - but he wanted to return home, despite Japanese policy that rendered it difficult if not fatal for those who had left the country (even involuntarily). The novel inserts scenes and dialogue - and is illustrated with lovely artwork and maps - and if the truth is even more impressive than the fiction, it's still an entertaining read.

This could be a companion piece to Samurai William, about an English navigator who adopted Japanese culture.

Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.

I left this book in the Little Free Library on this very warm day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

** Released for the 2022 May Royalty challenge. **

** Released for the Newbery Medal challenge. **