The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower, or John Howland’s Good Fortune

Illustrator P.J. Lynch brings a young, honest perspective to a pivotal moment in American history in this powerful and vividly illustrated story of the Pilgrims. At a young age, John Howland learned what it meant to take advantage of an opportunity. Leaving the docks of London on the Mayflower as a servant to Pilgrim John Carver, John little knew that he was embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. By his good fortune, John survived falling overboard on the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, and he earned his keep ashore by helping to scout a safe harbour and landing site for his bedraggled and ill shipmates. Would his luck continue to hold amid the dangers and adversity of the Pilgrims’ lives in New England? In the first book he has both written and illustrated, P.J. Lynch tells a personal story of American’s colonization with precise and exquisite detail, from the light on the froth of a breaking wave to the immediate, questioning voice of a young man in a new world.

Review
“Set in the 1600s and written in the first person, Lynch’s latest offering weaves a compelling adventure story about emigration and colonisation […] Stunningly evocative illustrations by the author capture the mood of the story perfectly.” –Inis Reading Guide
“A wide format showcases exquisite, detailed pictures – both dramatic seascapes and sublime portrayals – in watercolour and gouache. A wonderful visual and literary experience!” –Carousel

“The Atlantic has never looked as dark and swirling as in PJ’s magnificent illustrations.” –Sarah Webb, Sunday Independent (Dublin)

In the first book he has both written and illustrated, master artist P.J. Lynch brings a Mayflower voyager’s story to vivid life.