The Summer of Cecily

by Nan Lincoln

Have you ever read a book and wished it was your story? The Summer of Cecily is that kind of book. Magically, Nan Lincoln makes her six-week adventure raising an abandoned seal pup feel like your story, too. With humor, compassion and an incredible gift for storytelling, she takes the reader on a journey, from the first life-and-death struggle to get the starving pup to feed, to the unexpected dilemma of what to do with a baby seal who adapts so well to a life with humans. Car and wheelbarrow rides, gardening, television watching, and living in a log house; the growing seal begins to think she is human, too. It is up to her new mother to teach the pup how to be a seal again and how to live in the ocean, to swim, eat fish, and socialize with other seals. The reader will learn, along with Cecily, what it takes to be a harbor seal. The Summer of Cecily is a heart-warming and inspiring true tale about the meeting of a creature of the land and a creature of the sea, of falling in love and, ultimately, having to say good-bye. It is also the story of a very special place, where an ordinary day can turn into an extraordinary adventure. This first complete portrait of the artist behind the legendary dresses is published to coincide with the first museum retrospective of designs by this American fashion icon. It's all right, baby, I said softly, bending close to the dark, round head, which lay in the crook of my arm. We're going to take care of you now. Whoop! Whoop! the pup responded. On a cold rainy spring day in Maine, Nan Lincoln awakens to life as usual on rural Mount Desert a home to care for, a garden to tend, a family to love. But by day's end, her world will be turned upside down. A baby harbor seal has been abandoned on the rocks. The tide is coming in, and the seal's mother is nowhere to be seen. The Lincolns must make a Step in and save the pup, or let nature take its course. With humor and compassion, Nan Lincoln takes the reader on an incredible journey, from the first life-and-death struggle to get the starving pup to feed, to the unexpected dilemma of what to do with a baby seal who adapts so well to a life with humans. Car and wheelbarrow rides, gardening, television watching, and living in a log house -- we realize along with the Lincolns that their growing seal has begun to think she is human, too. They will have the pup for only six weeks, and it is up to Cecily's new mother to teach her how to be a seal again and how to live in the ocean -- to swim, eat fish, and socialize with others of her kind. The Summer of Cecily is a heartwarming and inspiring true tale about a meeting between a creature of the land and a creature of the sea, about falling in love and, ultimately, having to say good-bye. It is also the story of a very special place, Mount Desert Island, Maine. Nan Lincoln's compelling descriptions and fascinating historical references fire the imagination. She brings alive the Island's special enchantment, where an ordinary day can turn into an extraordinary adventure. Nan Lincoln still lives on Mount Desert Island where she is the arts editor, a feature writer, and reporter for the Bar Harbor Times. She has also written articles for Reader's Digest, Down East, Yankee , and other nationally distributed magazines, and most recently for Chicken Soup for the Soul . She is a winner of the Bob Drake award for journalism from the Maine Press Association and numerous other state, New England, and national awards for her writing. When she is not writing she is singing with the Maine Women's Balkan Choir, which performs concerts throughout the state. Among her other favorite pastimes these days is walking with her dog Amos, a border collie, lab mix who, curiously enough, looks very much like a seal. Sam White is an artist and poet. A graduate of Colby College and the Iowa Writers' Workshop, he is currently working on a graphic novel. He lives in Providence, RI. Steven Katona, Ph.D., is President of College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, and founder of the college's marine mammal research group, Allied Whale. In addition to research on the ecology, distribution, and abundance of humpback and finback whales, Allied Whale staff work under permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service to assist or salvage stranded whales, dolphins, and seals.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published May 25, 2004

Reviews

[Jennifer Stout]

A poignant real story of how a family nursed a pup seal back to health. Much like raising a human baby, a pup seal needs to be fed constantly and will follow it's "mother" around everywhere. It's a very short story but one that I didn't want to end as the author who nursed the seal got so involved that she didn't want to let the seal go.
This real story takes place at Mount Desert Island in Maine where I have never visited but after reading this book I would really like to.

[Jennifer]

A true story about a human family raising a young seal pup for a summer. The author includes the history of Mount Desert Island and of how the seal pups descend upon it. The author also mentions the famous seal Andre. It is a poignant story of the relationship between seal and human and the heart wrenching idea of letting go.

[Amy]

A sweet little book that is easy to finish on one sitting. We were planning a trip to Mt Desert Island, Maine before COVID struck and after reading this story my desire to reschedule the trip is only increased. Whenever we get there I will be on high lookout for seals!

[Terry]

The Summer Of Cecily is a heart-warming story. From cover to cover, it is a genuine, delightful, and fun read. See the full review.

[Tammy Richard]

<3 seals.. used to work for a rescue & rehab facility.