After an abundance of prayers and tears we made farewells at dockside and boarded our small ship. Our voyage across the Atlantic Ocean "began with a prosperous wind," but the sea soon became "sharp and violent" and storms howled about us.When the pilgrims set out for America, they brought with them a dream for the future. Sickness, hardship, and heartache stood in the way of that dream. But the pilgrims worked hard, keeping their dream close to their hearts, until they were finally able to make it come true.

Marcia Sewall has lived in New England all of her life, presently in Boston, and feels a deep attachment to the region. She is a graduate of Brown University in Rhode Island and has also studied at various art schools in the area.Ms. Sewall's children's books have been among the New York Times best illustrated and ALA Notables and have been selected for exhibition by the American Institute of Graphic Arts and Bratislava International Biennale. She has taught art to students of all ages and at the present time she is teaching a course in children's book illustration.