Blessed Be the Light of Day

October 11, 1492. Every morning since leaving Spain, Columbus had mustered his crew on deck & made them recite their "Blessed Be," a prayer for safe passage to what they believed would be India. Finally, the crew sights land, an island the Indians call Colba. Columbus spends the next six weeks exploring the Indies islands when, on Christmas night, the exhausted crew of the Santa Maria settles down for the night. The cabin boy is given the tiller & told to hold the great ship steady. Boy accidentally steers the Santa Maria onto rocks, & in the chaos of the moment Columbus shouts "Save everything!" Boy hides in the hold of the ship, certain he will be punished. It is Admiral Columbus who compassionately rescues him & gives Boy a wonderful gift that helps him gain the admiration of the crew. Based on Columbus' diaries, Blessed Be the Light of Day is a touching story about a young boy-without-a-name who has been abandoned & abused throughout his young life. British-born Carrie Kabak's vibrant illustrations add an astonishing visual dimension to life in 1492. The Brookfield Reader was the recipient of the 1999 Small Press Publisher of the Year Award. 137 Peyton Road, Sterling, VA 20165-5605. website:www.brookfieldreader.com/ Toll free: (888) 389-2741. An official RIF supplier.McAndrews, Anita is the author of 'Blessed Be the Light of Day' with ISBN 9781930093027 and ISBN 1930093020.