The Wanderer — Sharon Creech

The sea, the sea, the sea. It rolled and rolled and called to me. Come in, it said, come in.

THE WANDERER
Thirteen-year-old Sophie is the only girl among the surly crew of The Wanderer, made up of her three uncles and two cousins. They sail across the Atlantic toward England, the land of Bompie, her grandfather. The sea calls to Sophie -- promising adventure and the chance to explore and discover. But the personal journey she takes brings her deeper into a forgotten past than she ever knew she could travel to.

Sophie's thirteen-year-old cousin Cody isn't even sure why his father brought him along on this voyage. Everyone, including his dad, thinks he's nothing but a knuckleheaded doofus. But despite all the goofing off, he wonders if he has the strength to prove himself to the crew and to his father.

Through Sophie's and Cody's travel logs, the amazing experiences of these six wanderers and their perilous journey unfold. Stories of the past and the daily challenges to survive at sea swirl together as The Wanderer sails toward its destination, and its passengers search for their places in the world.

Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech's newest novel is an adventure-filled story of a courageous girl's journey across the ocean and into the memories of her past. Sophie's struggle to reclaim who she is inspires similar exploration from those around her -- as the crew discovers the joys and trials of belonging to a family.