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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book. Abrams Books for Young Readers New York
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Sal loved the water. He liked to imagine it moving under his feet.
SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 2
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He thought about it at his mom’s house,
and at his dad’s.
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He wanted to be out there, alone,
SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 3
just him and the waves.
2022/3/24 08:21
Sal needed a boat. But he was a kid with no job, so he couldn’t buy one.
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He didn’t want just any old regular boat anyway,
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so he had to build it himself.
SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 5
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He started the same way he started all his projects— by pulling everything out of his mom’s garage.
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Then he collected whatever Mr. Shipman wouldn’t use,
and of course, he checked the Dooly Box at Rose’s Marina, which was always an absolute gold mine. This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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It wasn’t long before everyone started asking about it.
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 8
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They had tips . . .
and advice for what Sal should do. This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 9
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He found a place to set up where he wouldn’t be bothered. (Except maybe by his brother.)
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And then Sal got to work.
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Measuring
leveling This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
and snapping chalk lines.
SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 12
2022/3/24 08:21
He pulled nails
mixed mud
scrubbed rubber SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 13
bent metal
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spackled cracks
poured paint
twisted clamps
and napped. 2022/3/24 08:21
The more Sal worked, the better his ideas got, and the bigger his plan became.
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 14
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Soon everyone had their own ideas of how things should go.
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So they left him alone. Finally, Sal could make some serious progress.
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And after many, many days . . .
SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 17
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. . . his boat was really coming together.
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All around town, they were getting it wrong,
and misunderstanding,
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But Sal wasn’t going to get worked up about it. SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 20
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 21
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He didn’t want help from anyone. Not from his mom, or his dad, and especially not from his brother.
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 22
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He could finish it himself.
He organized his supplies
swept his deck
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polished the equipment SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 23
and didn’t sleep a wink. 2022/3/24 08:22
And then Sal’s boat was done.
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They watched Sal dig,
rig pullies,
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 26
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and tie ropes.
But nothing worked.
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 28
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Suddenly, his boat didn’t seem like a boat at all.
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But right before Sal smashed every dumb shingle and window, he heard,
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Everyone showed up to work.
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Nobody talked much (except for his brother, who read a poem).
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And pretty soon, Sal’s boat was ready for a proper launch.
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Finally, Sal had his boat. It was just him and the waves moving under his feet.
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Sal loved the water. And the best part was . . .
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 38
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. . . so did everyone else he knew.
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SALBoat_INT_Cx2prf_03-08-22.indd 39
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For Milo and Niko The illustrations in this book were created with pencils and watercolor. Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress. ISBN 978-1-4197-5750-1 Text and illustrations © 2022 Thyra Heder Book design by Pamela Notarantonio Published in 2022 by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of This is an advance, uncorrected proof. ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a Not retrievalfor system, or transmitted in any form or by any resale, duplication, ormeans, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without reposting. Please quote without written permissiondo from not the publisher.
comparison tobound theinfinished book. Printed and China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Abrams Books for Young Readers are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com or the address below. Abrams® is a registered trademark of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
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