Faraway Things

In Faraway Things, beachcombing—the search for treasures along the shore—serves as the gateway to a story rich with wonder, adventure, loss, and discovery. The protagonist, a boy named Lucian, stumbles upon a cutlass, a type of sword with a curved blade, famously linked to sailors and pirate tales. He eagerly claims it as his own. It is the most magnificent faraway thing he has ever found! “That’s what his father had called whatever washed up from across the sea: faraway things.” 

Before long, a ship captain appears on the beach, looking for none other than his lost cutlass. Lucian must choose between returning the sword to its rightful owner and accepting a gift in exchange. In a surprising twist, his act of letting go of the cutlass opens the door to an unexpected, joyful discovery. 

Faraway Things is a picture book, and Dave Eggers’s delicate writing style invites the reader into a story where fragments of Lucian’s past are gradually unveiled throughout the narrative. This encourages critical thinking and delivers a new depth of understanding. There is a sense of wonder in the simple plot of a boy finding a lost sailor’s sword and immediately feeling attached and protective of it. “The next day, Lucian spent his time in the tide pools, on the bluff and in the coves, always with his cutlass in his hand or fastened to his side.” 

But this faraway thing has more to reveal—most importantly, the identity of its rightful owner. “It was silver and gold and copper and was finely etched all around. It was the kind of sword he’d seen in books…” The moment the ship captain appears on the beach, the mystery begins to unravel, and the story takes an adventurous turn. 

Dave Eggers’s writing style relies on subtext, where parts of the story are implied rather than stated outright. This technique invites readers to make discoveries on their own. For example, there is an implied loss. Lucian often thinks about his father even in his sleep: “…and when he dreamed, he dreamed of his father.” There is also an implied reason the ship ran aground. Upon meeting Lucian on the beach, the captain asks, “What happened to the lighthouse?” The implication is that the lighthouse, set against this windswept shore, is no longer functioning. 

Like drawing a circle and returning to the starting point, the story’s narrative connects two seemingly unrelated facts into a purposeful revelation. Lucian’s adventure includes a visit to the ship and a delightful tour of the ship’s stateroom. In exchange for returning the cutlass to its rightful owner, Lucian accepts a gift of his choosing that proves deeply symbolic. Though it is hard for him to part with his spectacular faraway thing, the lantern he receives in exchange reveals broader significance. Readers come to understand that Lucian’s late father was a lighthouse keeper, and the extinguished light symbolized his loss. Relighting the lamp renews that legacy, allowing Lucian to honor his father and embrace a brighter path forward. Share another heartwarming story with a young reader by checking out Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry and City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• None

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None

Language   

• None

Supernatural  

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None 

by Maureen Lowe