Children's author Carolyn Tollefson once again delights her readers by asking them to peer through the eyes of a mysterious gentleman entertaining young sailors with a story from his past, a quick-changing summer's day when four boys charged with finding the perfect spot for an upcoming camping trip on a small island across Lake Winnebago learn that even the greatest of sailors face difficulty on the open water. Calm water and a brisk wind carry the boys hours away to an awaiting beach where the young men search for the perfect overnight spot for their summer-camp friends.But once the sun slips toward the water, and the boys set sail back to mainland, the wind shifts, carries them off course, and then stills. Night falls and a curtain of fog shrouds the lake as the boys are left to their own devices.

Written in hauntingly lyrical prose and filled with beautifully rendered illustrations by graphic illustrator Tristan Brewster-Arnold, Sailing Against the Odds takes readers on a marvellous journey of friendship and survival.