Wind Rider

Name: Wind Rider
Author: Lucy Marlowe

A Sailing Adventure in the Galápagos

Ages 4–8
30 pages
8.5 × 8.5 in
Paperback
Coming soon

Tell me when it's out

Mila Wilder has surfed. Mila Wilder has climbed. So when she lands in the Galápagos, she already KNOWS how to sail. Right?

But when a gust tips her little boat into the bay, Mila has to choose: swim for the beach, or listen to her new friend Mateo.

A breezy, funny adventure about listening, with real facts about sailing, giant tortoises and sea lions.

“Read the wind.”

Look inside

A first look

Stormy Saturday at Grandma Jo's, power out, candles lit. — “The storm had knocked the power out, so Saturday at Grandma Jo's meant candles, cocoa and wind howling down the chimney. The clock said almost lunchtime.”

First sail: "flap… flap… FWUMP!" Mila zooms, mouth open, talking. — “Out on the bay, the sail went flap… flap… FWUMP! The rope tugged in Mila's hand, and her boat zoomed.”

Morning: Mila watches the water as a dark patch slides closer; she lets her sail out a little and leans back, and her boat flies flat and fast beside… — “In the morning, Moose rode with Mila, snug in his little life jacket.”

1 / 4

At the back of the book

Real facts, real safety, real questions

Mila's Field Notes

True things about San Cristóbal, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, inside the book:

The Tortoise Islands
Giant tortoises
Lobos marinos (sea lions)
Charles Darwin was here
Tijeretas (frigatebirds)
The Optimist

¡Vamos! · Let's go! (VAH-mohs)lobo marino · sea lion (LOH-boh mah-REE-noh)tijereta · frigatebird (tee-heh-REH-tah)galápago · tortoise (gah-LAH-pah-goh)abuelo · tía · grandpa · aunt

Moose's Safety Rule

Wear your life jacket. If your boat tips over, stay with the boat! Woof!

Talk About It

Five questions for after the last page:

Mila kept saying "I KNOW!" Was she really listening? How can you tell when someone is listening?
What did Mateo see on the water that Mila didn't? Where else can you "read" what is about to happen?
Why did Mateo shout "Stay with the boat!" What would you do if your boat tipped over?
What happened when Mila talked loudly near the tortoise? What happened when she sat still?
Grandma Jo said the wind always had something to say. What do you hear when you stop and listen?

New friends

Who Mila meets in San Cristóbal

Local friend

Mateo

9, born on San Cristóbal; his family has fished these waters for three generations; quiet, watchful and funny; knows the sea lions by name; reads the wind on the water. Key line: "The wind talks. You just have to look."

Mentor

Tía Carmen

Mateo's aunt, the harbor sailing instructor (fictional, not based on any real person); calm and clear, follows the kids in the safety boat. Wisdom line: "The wind always tells you what it's going to do. It just never shouts."

Elder

Abuelo Lucho

Mateo's grandfather, an old fisherman who mends nets on the waterfront; remembers a girl named Jo with a red sail (pending consultant)

Next adventure