Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

Vanderpool, C. (2013). Navigating Early. New York: Delacorte Press.

Jack’s mom died of a brain aneurysm, and he hasn’t seen his dad in years, due to the military. To be closer, Jack’s dad, who has a distant relationship with Jack, moves him to a boarding school. Jack isn’t fitting in until he meets a peculiar boy named Early Auden. Early keeps to himself and doesn’t have friends. Early asks Jack to go on a quest with him to find his brother Fisher, who the military believes was killed in combat. However, Early doesn’t accept this. Early believes that pi, 3.14, is never ending, and that Pi is on a quest to become Polaris, just like Early is on a quest to find his brother. Jack agrees, and they take the Sweetie Pie rowboat to travel in. After many adventures, Early and Jack find Early’s brother alive, but he refuses to come home. Solider to solider Jack’s dad talks to Fisher, who agrees to come home. The format of the book switches from the narration of the story of Early and Jack’s adventures, to the story of Polaris and his travels. This book conveys the idea that everyone is on an internal journey in their life, trying to physically navigate, while wondering how they will reach the end. Early and Jack have many things in common, such as they’re both outsiders, both mom’s died, and each has a family member in the military. Sense of remorse is an ever-present theme, whether it’s Fisher feeling guilty about being the only survivor, Jack not being able to save his mom, or his dad not being there for Fisher. The navigator ring is a symbol displayed in the book. It symbolizes the need for Jack to press on and never lose his direction. Navigating Early won the 2014 Printz Honor award.  I recommend this book for English teachers who teach lessons over symbolism and themes.