2026 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards

Silver Medalist

 

Alaska, 1918. When a violent blizzard drives the SS Princess Sophia onto hidden rocks, hundreds of passengers are stranded as towering waves make rescue impossible. Ships gather, but any lifeboat launched would be destroyed in seconds.

 

While seasoned captains wait for the storm to ease, fourteen-year-old fisherman Isaac Brewster refuses to give up. As conditions worsen and hope fades, Isaac must decide how far he’s willing to go—and what courage really means when even your best effort may not be enough.

 

A gripping true-inspired survival story of disaster, determination, and impossible choices at sea.

A maritime survival book for middle-grade readers.

While he finishes his coursework for this School Administrator's degree, David recounts what will likely be his last year as a classroom teacher in a delightful, humorous, uplifting, and inspiring blog. 

 

Check back semi-weekly as he reflects on the year and his career in education before he heads to the Principal's Office.