Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-29

offers an entirely new field for an ac-
ceptable boys book
A Fullback Ahoat. A. T. Dudley.
Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., Boston.
Although written by woman, Miss
Hornibrook's From Keel to Kite" is
pronounced by those familiar with the
localities and the life described in the
story, and one who read her manu-
script, to be most thrilling and life
like juvenile story of bank fishing and
shipyard life. For years Miss Horni-
brook has been studying this fascinat-
ing life at close range, even making
trip on a fishing vessel herself, until
her well-tried genius as writer has
enabled her to present noteworthy
book for the young.
The story Is of an active boy who
achieves his ambition against head
wind of difficulty. Son of a Gloucester
skipper who was lost on Georges, he
is brought up by his grandfather, and,
inheriting a keen love of vessels, de-
sires to become a naval architect. His
grandfather's death upsets his dream
Of a technical course and confronts him
with a moral problem about the dis
posal of money, from which he issues
victorious.
The story teens with incidents, ex-
citing and amusing, in which Oakley
figures with his chum, the shipbuilder's
nephew. The boys make an adven-
turous summer trip to Georges shoal,
and later on Oakley goes on halibut-
ing voyage to Arctic waters, and is
astray in dory for days. Finally, by
his crude design of fishing vessel, he
attacks the attention of naval archi-
tect who offers him a beginners berth
in his office with opportunity to pursue
his studies and realize his cherished
ambition.
From Keel to Kite By Isabel Horni-
brook. Boston: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard
company.
James Otis has written the first
volume of a series of books for boys,
which he calls 1.-THE Business Venture
Series" In the "Cruise of the Phoebe
he tells a most realistic and interesting
story of the lobster buyers, who leave
Portland, Me-, in stout power boats,
cruising along the intricate and hazard
GUS coast line, even as far as Halifax,
buying Holsters and bringing them back
to be shipped alive to Boston, New
York and the west. The boats are
from ten to fifteen tons burden, carry a.
crew of three or four, and are stout,
seaworthy craft as indeed they must
be to cruise off this coast in all seasons.
This particular story, dealing with
the adventures of three boys, who have
taken up the pursuit during their sum
mer vacation, follows closely the facts
and figures of the real industry de-
scribed above, and is crammed full of
interest and excitement from cover to
cover. Their dealings with the hardy
fishermen along the coast, their adven-
lures with the smugglers, the picking
up of a brokendown yacht at sea and
their hairbreadth9 escape from total
shipwreck all combine to make the
story one that no boy, once starting 1t.
would be content to leave until he had
read every word.
The Cruise of the Phoebe. BY James
Otis. Boston: Dana Estes & Co.
The name Of Dorothy Dainty has
grown to be household word wherever
there are little girls, and each new
book of this series seems better than
the last. Dorothy is at her beautiful
home in the great stone house" in this
seventh volume of the series, and with
her mates is enjoying more than ever
the little home school so carefully con-
Quoted by "Aunt Charlotte" as they
all gain in knowledge. Some new
pupils, among them a little boy and a
real boy too, If he does go to school
with girls, give variety. The favorite
Nancy is prominent in this story as
well as in the others. and has a very
interesting experience.
Dorothy Dainty's Gay Times. By
Amy Brooks. Boston: Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard company.
I T.