Brave boy!

While a young boy struggles to fit in with his neighbors on the island of Hikawieru, he is haunted by his mothers death when he was just a child. She died with him in her arms by the ocean, and ever since he has been terrified of the ocean. His is too afraid to go fishing with the other boys, and he stays and helps the woman make nets and hooks. Everyone makes fun of him, even his own father. He decides to show every one that he is brave and strong and paddles away one night. He is caught in a storm for days, almost starving to death. He is finally swept up on the beach of a smoking volcanic island where the black eaters-of-men live. He kills a wild boar, a shark, and escapes being captured by the black eaters-of-men and the ocean. When he returns home he has faced his fears and he is the hero of the small island. This book teaches children never to give up on their dreams and to face their fears, because once they have done that, they can do anything. Wonderful book with strong lessons!