Faraway Things by Dave Eggers (review)

Lucian and his mother live beside a lighthouse that beams no light, and after storms he roams the shore in search of "faraway things" that wash up on the beach. This time it's a truly astounding find—an engraved cutlass that Mom, convinced it's actually ownerless, allows him to keep. His swashbuckling play is interrupted, however, by the arrival of a small shore party led by an imposing man, bald and muscular, sporting a color-block turtleneck and trendy eyewear (in short, just about the coolest guy a kid could imagine), whose three-masted ship had run aground in the dark. The mystery man quickly recognizes that Lucian's sword is his own, perfectly matched by the engraved sheath on his belt, and he offers Lucian the pick of any treasure on board his ship in exchange for the return of the cutlass that "means more to me than anything on my ship." Lucian accepts the deal and claims a large round lantern, which he installs in the lighthouse to keep future ships safely clear of treacherous coast. The charm of this seemingly slight tale lies in the interplay between Murphy's atmospheric and thoughtfully detailed mixed-media paintings and the unanswered questions that compel listeners to complete the narrative. Just who is the mystery man, and how did he acquire the global art and artifacts in his delightfully rendered Wunderkammer stateroom? Why has the lighthouse been dark? What is behind the subtle sadness when Lucian thinks of his absent father? Whether enjoyed as a group read or a private puzzle to be explored and re-explored, this picture book will inspire a host of stories and possible a shanty or two.