A.J.

The year is 1968. After spending the first half of summer vacation driving her Italian family crazy with her fake southern accent, 10-year-old A.J. finds a soul mate on the other side of the island to divert her attention. She is intrigued to learn that Danny shares her same burning desire to know God and realizes that few people her age think as deeply as the two of them do. However, the depth of their newfound faith and friendship is soon tested when Danny's father betrays his wife. Set in a simpler time, “Saving Sailor” is a heartwarming tale of how hearts can change and relationships can be restored with God's help. A quirky girl, a faithful dog, and one unforgettable summer!

A. J. Degulio loved the idea of a visit to the Old Country—until her family decided to stay. Now it's 1972 and she's turning fourteen in a crumbling castle on a hill in Tuscany, wishing she were back in Idaho with her beloved dog, Sailor. In Italy, her fair complexion and blonde hair make her stick out like a vanilla wafer in a box of chocolate biscotti, and she's so lonely her best friend is a nun from the local convent. What's worse, her grandma's losing her marbles and Mama's going crazy over Uncle Nick's ugly blue villa, which she can see from every window. The challenges of roots and relatives are nothing new to A. J. but factor in language, culture shock, and a bad case of homesickness, and A. J.'s going to need more than the famous Degulio sense of humor to survive. It will take a catastrophe, and a few wise words from a friend, for A. J. to understand that sometimes the only thing you can change is your perspective.

For eight years, A.J. Degulio has been itching to get back to her beloved Indian Island. It's home. But a lot has changed: Sailor moves slower, Danny has grown into a man... and A.J. has a promise to keep but it doesn't include Danny. When Danny discovers the truth, he's shocked and hurt. But he won't stand in the way of what she really wants. What's a girl to do? She wants to keep her promise and Danny. But Danny has plans of his own. Can they work it out? It will take compromise and laughter before Danny and A.J. figure out that home is more than a place on the map. It's a place in the heart. When A.J. returns home to Indian Island, her dog Sailor, and childhood friend Danny, she surprises everyone with her plans... but Danny has something else in mind.