In 1962-1964, when the author was 9 to 11 years old, his family sailed to and lived on Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station in Puerto Rico. In the book the child describes the exciting trip as well as life on the base in a tropical paradise. Described and depicted are the Hurricane Hunter airplanes, flying fish, hermit crabs, coqui tree frogs, little league baseball, tropical rainstorms and hurricanes.
In 2018 the author revisited the Navy base which has been closed down for many years. He returned to the housing development where his family had lived. The concrete houses built to withstand hurricanes were all still there, but the roads, yards and baseball field were all overgrown by jungle. The book closes describing the current condition and reflecting on the great memories.
Author Biography:
Daniel W. Fink has spent his career as a forester in Maine and the Pacific Northwest. He loves wild and remote places. He lives with his wife, Carol, in Sandy, Oregon. They love volunteering to serve and teach the children in their church. This is his first book.
Illustrator Biography:
Sarah Ann Cools is a Portland, Oregon based children’s book author and illustrator. She loves to capture the magic of ordinary life and put a fantastical twist on it to delight audiences both young and old. She resides in her own fairyland with her husband and children. You can find her on Instagram @ sarahanncools.