Sister Sailor: The Remarkable Journey of Bessie Hall by Ruth Tait
Published March 2024 by History Hunters Projects Screenshot Pages of Book
Bessie Hall graphic novel Summary of Page 1:
There are 8 panels. The reader is introduced to the protagonist, Bessie. A floating caption sits over the
first 3 panels. It states: December, 1869. A cabin on the barque Rothesay, docked at Princes Dock,
Liverpool. England. Panel 1: A full shot of a young girl, her back to us, who is seen attending to her
attire, attaching a corset to her waist. She looks into a small mirror, sitting atop a wooden dresser.
Beside her is a pair of bunks set into the cabin wall. Bessie is reciting: North, zero points. north by
east, 1 point. north-north-east, 2 points. north-east-by-north, 3 points. north-east, 4 points.
north-east-by-east, 5 points … Panel 2: View of Bessie from the front, as she struggles with the
tiny clips of the corset in frustration, expressing:
Oh, corsets take too much time! The background shows the bunk with built-in drawers and beneath it,
obscured in shadow, a travelling trunk. Panel 3: longer shot of Bessie, now fully dressed is exiting from
her cabin into the common space of the ship, called the foreward after cabin. All the space is rendered to
resemble a wooden interior, with various colours of woods. We see a couple of cabin doors, a table and
benches, secured by vertical posts. Bessie is dressed for winter in Liverpool, with wooly hat, jacket and
thick skirt. Panel 4: full shot of Bessie seen from behind as she climbs gangway stairs up toward the poop
deck. Dispersed across the space are several oak barrels piled together and the table and benches in
foreground. Panel 5: Long shot of the length of a complex structure of the top deck of a 19th century
merchant sailing vessel, with ropes, rigging, belaying pins, deck hatches, masts and deck rails. At the
top of the poop deck, Captain Hall stands, seen from behind, facing forward looking over the deck. His
head is turning toward Bessie, as her head appears from the hatchway of the entrance to the below-deck.
She looks up at Captain Hall, saying: Hello, father. Have we got our crew? Captain Hall replies: Yes, we
will be able to sail at high tide at the end of the week. Panel 6: Close on captain Hall from a 3-quarter
perspective, saying:
I have some last business with the harbour office. Would you like a walk? Panel 7: Medium close on Bessie
who is climbing up to the poop deck, saying,
Certainly. I'd like to get some writing supplies. Panel 8: a 2-shot viewed from behind Bessie, as she
looks toward her father still standing on the steps, completing her sentence:
… So I can work on my journal, as well as …
A diagram view of the Rothesay showing the standing fore-and-aft rigging—rigging
that supports the masts along the length of the ship. The front—bow—of the ship faces left
side of the page and the view is a downshot showing the ship at an angle. The parts of the rigging are
labelled and the labels are listed running clockwise from far left side across the top and then along
bottom of the diagram. The labels are:
Bowsprit & Jib Boom; Inner Jib Stay; Outer Jib Stay; Flying Jib Stay; Forestay; Bowsprit Stays;
Foremast; Inner Forestay; Fore Top Mast; Fore Topgallant Mast; Cross Trees; Main Royal Lower Stay; Tops;
Main Stay; Main Royal Stay; Main Topgallant Stay; Main Stay; Tops; Main Hatch; Main Mast; Main Topgallant
Mast; Cross Trees; Mizzen Topgallant Stay; Mizzen Top Stay; Mizzen Stays; Cross Trees; Mizzen mast; Mizzen
Topgallant Mast; Mizzen Gaff; Gaff Preventer; topping lift; Mizzen boom; Binnacle; Taffrail; Mizzen
shrouds; Main Shrouds; Deck Rail; Fore Backstays; Fore shrouds; Forecastle companionway; fo'c'sle head;
whisker boom; dolphin striker;
Brooklyn Dog's Adventure at the Beach by Catherine Tait | illustrated by Ruth Tait
Published April 2024 Screenshot sample page of Book
The very small doggy, Nandi, sits amongst yellow flowers and grass below the
wide expanse of the Brooklyn Bridge which spans the East River in New York between Brooklyn and Manhattan.
On the far shore is seen a cluster of tall buildings that form the lower Manhattan skyline. Above this
scene is a wide sky with clouds.
A Brooklyn Dog's Adventure in France by Ruth Tait
Published April 2023 Pages of Book
the illustration shows the title of the book 'A Brooklyn Dog's Adventure in
France' placed over the draping French flag which has 3 bands of colour: blue, white and red. In the
center of the flag is the dedication. Below the flag is a version of the back cover and front cover laid
out as a panorama. This shows, at far left a rustic stone wall with greenery emerging from the stones.
Beside the wall is an old, knarly tree, which partially covers the elegant stone French chateau in the
background. The stately home is set back from the wall and goes across to the right edge of the page,
showing turrets, towers, wide panelled windows, dark slate roofs, many doors and crenellated roofs. To the
left of the stately home, the rural French countryside is seen, dotted with small farm houses, green
fields and trees. In the foreground, sitting proudly on a stone parapet emerging from the building
forecourt, sits the book's hero, Nandi, the little black dachshund from Brooklyn.
Outworld Book 1 by Ruth Tait
Published April 2023 Pages of Book
The image is of a dominant word Outworld appearing
as if flying through space, a three-dimensional blocky object of full caps,
receeding into distance against a backdrop of stars in a dark sky and flying
over a large rock. The text includes the information that this is a Graphic
Novel Sci Fi - meaning Science Fiction - Trilogy super-imposed over a large
but faint number one.
Summary of page 12. Tihane is inside
of a painful memory. There are 9 panels and frame insets. Panel 1: A younger Tihane is racing
through streets littered with garbage. A caption states: I barely escaped. Panel 2: wide angle
on a figure running towards a large building. A caption, continuing from previous, states: and
arrived home to find… Panel 3: This shows the figure of a person in bed in the foreground.
At the foot of the bed a door is opening. The figure in the doorway speaks: mother? The figure
in the bed whispers: there's a letter for you, tihane. Panel 4. Tihane is sitting beside her
ill mother, who struggles to speak. Tihane says: it says I've been accepted into the lowell
space academy. Tihane's mother, speaking in an implied whisper, responds: (sigh!) it's just as
I hoped. my prayers have been answered. Panel 5. The memory morphs immediately into Tihane's
present with a closeup of Tihane's hand and wrist-com as she closes the lid of a suitcase when
a commmunication transmission arrives on her wrist-com. The transmission barks: tihane! this
is your father. did I miss your graduation ceremony? sorry 'bout that. which flight are you
catching to freedom 5? Panel 6. a full-body view of tihane talking into her wrist-com
communicator, speaks: I'll be on the 4 pm GMT scramjet flight - Frame inset 7. A close-up of
Tihane's profile as she Tihane listens to her father's transmission: I'll meet you in the
promenade, tihane --Panel 8. A wider shot of Tihane as she responds: Don't worry 'bout missing
graduation - no big deal. out. her father responds: I Look forward to seeing you. Panel 9.
Tihane looking unimpressed, picking up a suitcase, mutters to herself. Yeah, Sure you
do!
Summary of page 14. This page continues from previous. Tihane is in the
Lowell Academy library. There are 7 panels. Panel 1. Tihane is at derik's desk, leaning over
with her hands resting on the l-shaped desk. Derik in the foreground has his back to viewer
and is looking at her, having moved aside his monitor. Behind is a view of a busy library with
students at various electronic stations and desks and large windows in the background. Tihane
speaks: it would not make sense not to come one last time to the place I've spent most of my
last 3 years! panel 2. Derik replies: i'm glad you came… I've enjoyed our conversations -
you're off to serve on your father's ship, right? Panel 2. closeup of Tihane as she
contemplates Derik's words. Tihane speaks: uh, serve, yes. Derik (off-frame) responds: this is
not something you look forward to? panel 3. A profile view of Tihane and Derik in
conversation. Tihane speaks: he helped me get into lowell, now, I guess it's payback time…
no, I'm not looking forward to it. Derik responds: serving on your father's ship should be a
source of pride.panel 4. closeup of Tihane profile, looking over at Derik, considering: well,
my father has this way of doing things that, ah… (ahem!) Panel 5. Over Tihane's shoulder at
Derik who says: yes. I think I remember hearing that captain delaron can be difficult. And
Tihane retorts: right. panel 6. Over Derik's shoulder at Tihane who sighs, speaking: 2 years!
And Derik reassures: you must practice maintaining the strength you have attained being
here… soon, your debt will be paid. Panel 7. wide angle of the two figures in the large
library, amidst other figures. Tihane muses: I wish I didn't have to say goodbye to everyone.
Derik responds in a similar manner: I've been a librarian here for many years; I've said
goodbye to many students… I often wonder how They are doing.
