Father, May I Come?

by Peter Spier

In 1687, young Sietze Hemmes helps rescue a vessel foundering off the Dutch coast, and three hundred years later, another Sietze Hemmes takes part in a similar rescue, in parallel stories that explore... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038530935X
• ISBN13: 9780385309356
• Release Date: August 1993
• Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 10.6" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Peter Speir is as good as ever

Father May I Come tells of a town that has a tradition of going out to sea to save ships that are endangered by the weather or tide. Regular people from the town - the grocer, the church caretaker, a farmer - are called from their everyday job to the shed where the lifeboat is kept, after a distress signal is seen off of the shore. The owner of the pub is the leader of the crew, and his son asks if he may come along. This story repeats itself twice, with a time difference of a few hundred years - and the answer is different both times.Peter Speir is so great at making childrens books, and this book is no exception - so much attention to detail, as well as many chances to learn something new.Much research has obviously been poured into this book, and it is great to see the results of this research at the end of the book, on a page full of the technical details of the modern, state of the art lifeboat. Children will find the drawings great, and I - a boat mechanic - was also interested in the techincal details which Mr.Speir included on this last page.Unfortunately the book is too short... though I suppose all good things must come to an end.