PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
LeCain W. Smith, known to his friends as Captain Lee, was born near the ocean on the coast of Maine and was called to the sea early in life. Over the years different sailboats took him on many nautical adventures, and on most every voyage, he had a cat as a companion. With time, his skills came to include teaching sailing and navigation, boatbuilding, boat deliveries, yacht surveying, acting as a harbormaster, and chartering boats as a licensed captain. In addition, he wrote several nonfiction books with nautical, historical, and health-related themes. While living in Port Townsend, Washington, during the 1980's he spent five years building a forty-three foot ketch and then completed a six-year voyage around the world. In company with his mate Sheila and trusted sea cat Chowder, this extensive exploration took them through many remote islands of paradise and exotic parts of the world. When it was over, Chowder felt that all their adventures were definitely worth sharing. Since LeCain had produced Far Away, a documentary video about the South Pacific part of their voyage, Chowder decided to tell her own version of the complete story with a trilogy of books, starting with this one: Sailing South 'til the Butter Melts.
"""Rarely do children's books provide adventure, humor, education, wisdom and insight all in one story, but LeCain Smith's book ""Sailing South 'til the Butter Melts"" does just that. Chronicling the first part of a six-year circumnavigation of the world, Chowder ""keeps a log"" of the many sights, sounds and experiences she and her mates have as they travel from the coast of Washington State to the Galapagos Islands."" - Elaine Hewes, retired elementary school teacher ""The beautiful descriptions of scenes on board and en route will warm you through the Winter. There is also a strong message about taking care of the natural environment that will encourage the younger readers to take note."" - A. Fogarty 'Sailing around the world as told by the family cat will delight all readers and inform the uninformed about what it takes to sail for a few days or a few years."" ""A great addition to children's fiction."" - C. Wilson"
