The Seashore Book: Bob and Betty's Summer with Captain Hawes

"The Seashore Book: Bob and Betty's Summer with Captain Hawes" by E. Boyd Smith is an early 20th-century children's adventure, immersing readers in a summer of discovery by the sea. Siblings Bob and Betty spend their vacation with Captain Ben Hawes, an old sailor who teaches them all about the ocean and ships. They row boats, explore shipyards, watch a ship being launched, and make friends with a local boy named Patsey, who shows them the best spots for clam digging and fishing adventures. As the kids have fun they learn a lot from Captain Hawes' stories and about their surroundings, giving them a deep connection to the sea, but as summer goes on there is a bittersweet ending as the children say goodbye to their magical summer.