The Cay and the Little Prince

For some strange reason I remembered this book called “The Cay” by Theodore Taylor. It is a sad story and inspiring one at the same time. The Cay is the story of Phillip, a boy living on the island of Curacao off the island of Venezuela during World War II. As he and his mother are trying to escape the war and head back to their home in Virginia, their ship sinks. Phillip survives the boat accident only to be trapped on an island with a black man and a cat. The accident leaves Phillip blind. Not only does he have to learn adjust to his blindness, but he must learn to survive on the barren island in the Caribbean Sea. Phillip is also faced with other challenges including a hurricane. I read it as part of a school project when I was in primary school in the UK. It is a story about survival and resilience in the face of adversity. I have always wondered why we never read anything that was inspirational or even thought provoking during my years in the Egyptian Educational system. I even think that “The Little Prince” by the French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry should be read by everyone.  It is imaginary, creative and might even cause you to do a little bit of soul searching.  The Prince is an alien which looks very human like and goes around traveling around the planets, discovering things, meeting people and creatures and learning so many things.  If you would like to read it, here is a link to an online version.  The illustrations are by the author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry himself and I really recommend taking the time to read the book, then thinking for a few moments about how growing up or older has affected you.