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Challenged to write a poem about a historical whaler her Cape Cod community reveres, a creative girl discovers the poetry journal of a 19th-century woman who shared a romance with a mysterious sea captain.
About the author
Erica George is a writer of young adult fiction. She is a graduate of The College of New Jersey with degrees in both English and education, and is currently an MFA student at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She resides in northern New Jersey, but spends her summers soaking up the salty sea air on Cape Cod.
Summary
This modern summer romance set on Cape Cod features two young adult poets divided by centuries.
Michaela Dunn, living on present day Cape Cod, dreams of getting into an art school, something her family just doesn't understand. When her stepfather refuses to fund a trip for a poetry workshop, Michaela finds the answer in a local contest searching for a poet to write the dedication plaque for a statue honoring Captain Benjamin Churchill, a whaler who died at sea 100 years ago.
She struggles to understand why her town venerates Churchill, an almost mythical figure whose name adorns the school team and various tourist traps. When she discovers the 1862 diary of Leta Townsend, however, she gets a glimpse of Churchill that she didn't quite anticipate. In 1862, Leta Townsend writes poetry under the name Benjamin Churchill, a boy who left for sea to hunt whales. Leta is astonished when Captain Churchill returns after his rumored death. She quickly falls for him. But is she falling for the actual captain or the boy she constructed in her imagination?
Foreword
A contemporary YA summer Cape Cod romance featuring poets divided by centuries
