Eleven-year-old Samuel can barely contain his excitement to sail with his family from South Africa to live in the United States—then he contracts typhoid fever.

World War I has broken out. Samuel's parents have sold their business, their home—everything—to purchase passage on a freighter to the USA. Now their boy is in the hospital; and even if he lives, no ship will let him aboard for several weeks. Meanwhile, Atlantic crossings may not be possible for long.

Experience this family's heart-wrenching choice and its consequences through the eyes of the child who braved it.

Explore online SECRETS, and see the saga unfold with actual photographs of Samuel P. Martin's voyages plus 1,000 words adapted from his autobiography by award-winning author and college media instructor Karl Beckstrand (Horse & Dog Adventures in Early California—don't miss his 60 multiracial books).

Build resilient kids today! #4 in the Young American Immigrants series (odyssey standalones). Discover all four inspirational biographies in a bundle—plus family tree/geography lesson plans:

Agnes's Rescue: The True Story of an Immigrant Girl (Scotland/Ireland—free)

Ida's Witness: The True Story of an Immigrant Girl Immigrant Girl (Sweden)

Anna's Prayer: The True Story of an Immigrant Girl Immigrant Girl (Sweden)

PremioPublishing (worldwide rights © June 2021), libraries, and major nonfiction distributors. Stories of real immigrants fascinate readers and transcend culture and time (35 pages/70 vintage images for ages 7+ years).

LOOK inside! This child's memoir touches on a powerful hunger—the yearning for family and a place to call home. 8.5"x8.5", hard/soft/ebook on travel, hard work, family history/genealogy, moving, and modes of transportation. School/homeschool ESL/ELL/ESOL/ESE. No AI, CRT, gender, or orientation discussions—just happy multicultural fun! LCCN: 2021931888; JNF053240, JNF038010, JNF009000, JNF058000, JNF025210, JNF007020, JNF002000; (eISBN: 978-1005346508), hard ISBN: 978-1951599126 soft: 979-8511690322