A few weeks back Elliot brought Call It Courage (1941) by Armstrong Sperry home from school to read.  From Wikipedia:

Call It Courage is a coming of age story set in the Pacific Islands. It chronicles the journey of Mafatu, the son of the chief of Hikueru Island. Mafatu is afraid of the sea due to witnessing his mother drown as a young child, which makes him a shame to his father, and a coward among his tribe. One night Mafatu takes a dugout canoe and sets sail into the ocean without knowing where he will end up.

Elliot loved it which sparked interest in Finn.  I checked out the book on cd from the library for Finn and me.  Finn loved it too (calling it one of the best he’s ever read).  It’s got plenty to engage a little boy’s imagination: battling sharks and wild boars, fleeing “eaters of men,” etc.