That Smudge of Smoke

Author(s): Edith M. Hemingway There are good ships, there are wood ships, there are ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be! Introducing a middle-grade novel that recognizes the applications of this old Irish proverb throughout the centuries and across the seas. That Smudge of Smoke by Edie Hemingway traverses numerous pillars of adolescence - family dynamics, loss, independence, healing, friendship, and the power of music, while exploring the historical backdrop of life aboard a steamboat in 1929. VLA Cardinal Cup 2024 List for historical fiction Recipient Review(s): "That Smudge of Smoke transports readers back nearly 100 years to a time when steamboats traveled Chesapeake Bay, carrying freight, passengers, and mail to isolated communities. When twelve-year-old Piper’s mother dies, she is suddenly uprooted from her home and living on a steamboat with her father, the captain.  The story is filled with historical events, such as the crash of