I had purchased this book and then another reading teacher recommended it. She was reading it to her students and my students who are in her reading class kept telling me how wonderful it was. So, yesterday, the first day of the new year I sat and read it cover to cover. This is the story of not only a physical loss, but the loss of trust and belief in someone. When Ben, Dylan and Gerry lose their mother to a terrible car accident their father sells everything they own, buys a sailboat and tells them they will be sailing for a year. There is no discussion, no answering of questions, just the order to pack and go. Fifteen-year-old Ben is angry. He of course sees things from his skewed view as a teenager. It isn't until they have been sailing for about six months and he has decided it doesn't help to argue with his dad that things go from bad to worse. He has been a faithful crewman on his dad's boat the Chrysallis. Each of the boys have certain "jobs" they are required to handle and they must all learn to do everything. Then Ben comes up top to discover their dad missing. Add to that a storm that maroons them on an island and you have a heart-stopping book. I felt bad for the boys the way their father talked to them. However, as a parent and adult I understood the underlying cause that the boys might not understand. The three boys were well developed. You had headstrong Ben, the oldest who felt responsible for everything and had the most trouble with his father. Dylan was a studious son who had the book knowledge that would help in a lot of situations. Then there was six-year-old Gerry who was terrified of the water because he couldn't swim. All of these issues and what happens to all of them made for a story you had to read from cover to cover. Can't wait to talk this up this week at school. It is a must-read. ( )

This book was perfect. Typically, I go for adventure, mystery, educational, or crime novels, and this book was exactly that! This book tells the tale of three boys on sail boat with their father. When things go tragically wrong; there father is gone, They must learn to survive when they have no one to help them, except themselves. One thing I liked about this book was the lesson I took away from it: children have to learn to do things for themselves because one day they will be an adult and have to know how to function. Growing up, my mom did everything for my siblings and I, while teaching us how to do things for ourselves. We were always responsible for keeping our own rooms clean, keeping up with our homework, and making sure we caught the bus on time in the morning. As I am older now, I see why my mom did the things that she did. She wanted us to take pride in our work and efforts, and be responsible for ourselves. This book would be an awesome addition in a classroom because this is a lesson that all children need to learn at some point. M.H. Herlong is one of my favorite authors! ( )

Not bad but not great. I expected more. Great characters but the plot was lacking. ( )

I personally just liked this book, but I think if you were more of a fan of adventure stories, or what a lot of people classify as "boy" books, then you would love this one. It's about three boys after their mom dies, when their dad decides to take them on a sailing trip in the Bahamas. One night, he disappears. The boys must struggle on to survive without him. Will they make it through alive?

Nominated for MSBA 2009-2010. ( )

Book: The Great Wide Sea
Author: M.H. Herlong
Characters: Ben, Dylan and Gerry
Setting: Florida Keys, family boat
Theme: Family dynamics in the face of grief and adventure.
Genre: Realistic Fiction Adventure
Audience: ages 12 and up
Curriculum: Good for learning an English literature course or recommendation during star reading.
Summary: Three young boys suffer the loss of their mother and watch as their father works through the grief as they figure out how to deal as well. On a whim their father decides that they are going to go on a year long boat trip in the Florida Keys but they encounter more than just the adventure of a trip to sea. They can’t find their father and they must survive the stormy weather of the Florida Keys on their own.
Personal Response:
I think this is a great book for someone who has to deal with the death of someone close and also having to watch others manage grief. The boys have to manage their own way of grieving for their mother’s sudden passing but also must watch as their father deals with the sorrow in a way that seems to overwhelm him but appears selfish because eventually his boys are left alone to deal with their own devices at sea. They learn to survive and depend solely on each other through storms, sickness and specifically Ben has to manage his grief. Ben becomes the one to lead his brothers and take care of them. But we see that he holds anger and resentment towards his father for not being around because he can’t grieve. He has to stay strong for his brothers and survive. But then we see him grow through that resentment and find release past the grief and he and his brothers continue their lives with their Dad. ( )