About this book
Sunshine Bill by William Henry Giles Kingston sweeps listeners into a brisk Victorian sea adventure that follows a cheerful Portsmouth boy who signs on as a ship’s lad and grows into a brave young seaman. Set against 19th-century maritime life, this coming-of-age tale blends young adult fiction, sea stories, and gentle religious themes as Bill and his shipmates face hurricanes, shipwreck risks, scurvy-like shortages, clashes with French forces, and shark-infested waters—all while leaning on courage, loyalty, and faith.
Kingston’s compact narrative captures the routines of port life, the camaraderie of a ship’s crew, and the moral lessons prized in Victorian juvenile fiction. Listeners will hear vivid depictions of life aboard the Lilly, the hardships of long voyages to Jamaica, and the resilience of a boy raised by honest, hardworking parents in Portsmouth Harbour—without spoiling the surprises and rescues that drive the plot.
Ideal for fans of classic nautical adventure, historical YA fiction, and wholesome, faith-tinged stories, Sunshine Bill is a short, lively audiobook for listeners who enjoy character-driven maritime tales and moral, old-fashioned heroism.
