There's a lot of text in this one, but you wouldn't know that, based on the fact my 4th grader ran off with it and didn't give it back (I had to retrieve it from her room). An adventurous story of a boy on the Mayflower.

At a young age, John Howland learned what it meant to take advantage of an opportunity. Leaving the docks of London on the Mayflower as an indentured servant to Pilgrim John Carver, John Howland little knew that he was embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. By his great good fortune, John survived falling overboard on the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, and he earned his keep ashore by helping to scout a safe harbor and landing site for his bedraggled and ill shipmates. Would his luck continue to hold amid the dangers and adversity of the Pilgrims' lives in New England? John Howland's tale is masterfully told in his own voice, bringing an immediacy and young perspective to the oft-told Pilgrims' story. P.J. Lynch captures this pivotal moment in American history in precise and exquisite detail, from the light on the froth of a breaking wave to the questioning voice of a teen in a new world.

The text seems halting at times, but how can you not love the brilliant colors of Lynch's art? ( )

John is an indentured servant who leaves London on the Mayflower. Told from a teenage perspective, this book captures the challenges of life in early America. Author’s Note, Bibliography.

I didn't really like this book. I felt like the book was way too long. I feel like if I read this book to my students they would get distracted and not focus. I love the illustrations though! They are so detailed and you feel like you're there with John throughout his journey. ( )