The Wreck of the Zephyr

Written by Chris Van Allsburg

A boy's quest to master the sea leads to a mysterious, sky-bound adventure.

4.1 Goodreads · 2,079 ratings

31 pages· 1,189 words· Est. 10 min read-aloud· 590L

$18.95Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

A wrecked sailboat on a cliff sparks tales of a boy's dream to be the greatest sailor. Driven by ambition, he and his boat, the Zephyr, are swept into a storm, reaching a realm where boats soar like birds. Is it myth or reality? Discover the enchanting journey where the sea meets the stars, and the wind whispers secrets of the sky.

From the publisher

At the edge of a cliff lies the wreck of a small sailboat. How did it get there? “Waves carried it up in a storm,” says an old sailor. But is it possible that waves could ever get that high? There is another story – the story of a boy and his obsessive desire to be the greatest sailor, the story of a storm that carried the boy and his boat to a place where boats glide like gulls high above the water and not upon it. Chris Van Allsburg tells that story of the boy and his boat, the Zephyr, in words and haunting, full-color pastel paintings. His sailboats sail the night sky with the stars in pictures so vivid that the reader can almost hear the wind in the sails. Here is a work of unusual artistry that will enchant readers of all ages for many years to come.