Hold On, McGinty!

Ethel King-Shaw is professor emerita of curriculum and instruction in
the Department of Teacher Preparation at the University of Calgary.

Every morning McGinty goes out to fish in his fishing dory, called
Heart’s Content. When the supply of fish off Newfoundland becomes
depleted, his granddaughter persuades him to move to Vancouver Island.

McGinty flies to Toronto and waits for his boat to arrive on the train.
Then he stows away in the boat for the train journey to the West Coast.
During the long ride, he witnesses the beauty of the country: the
islands of the Great Lakes, the northern lights, the golden grain of the
Prairies, the rugged Rocky Mountains, and, finally, the Pacific Ocean.
Near Cowichan he lowers Heart’s Content into the water. After catching
a salmon, he cooks it for breakfast.

A teapot of water brought from the Atlantic Ocean is poured into the
Pacific, and a prayer of thanks from the fisherman is blown by the wind
from the West to the East Coast.

This charming, heartwarming story has special appeal for those
interested in history, tradition, travel, adventure, and environmental
issues. Old McGinty is a truly authentic character whose qualities are
personified in his beloved boat. Dramatic and colorful illustrations
effectively evoke the magnificent setting. Highly recommended.