Professor William Waterman Sherman wants some free, peace and quiet. Aboard the Globe, a hot air balloon he leaves San Francisco on a journey for a year, or so he says. The wind and the gulls happen to blow him to a island called The Pacific Island, Krakatoa. He meets Mr. F who explains to him that to others the island is an inhabited place so he says the a professor would have landed here anyway. They would have shot his balloon (so he could land) for this island is a secret. In Krakatoa there are volcanic land quakes, unimaginable wealth of diamonds, and much friendly people. The only catch, Professor William Waterman Sherman is not allowed to leave the island... The professor once again learns about the island’s government the “restaurant style” government, where each family(there are 20) owns a restaurant and they cook for the whole town once a week. There are various contraptions that make life easier, such as a bed that changes its own sheets. The professor now goes swimming often and he is telling his tale of San Francisco when the earth starts shaking violently and all jump to escape on the 21 balloon platform contraption. They live on Dutch cocoa and a dish of meat, sauerkraut, sausages, and gravy. Since the professor doesn’t have a parachute he must be remained to land the platform when all the others jump off to countries and close to the ground the F family, the professor’s friends does too. Now that is the tale of why he was stranded alone on with 21 balloons and 2 diamond cufflinks.
21 Balloons
By William Pene Du Bois
Professor William Waterman Sherman, a disillusioned schoolteacher, sails in a great balloon over the pacific, lands on the island of Krakaloa and witnesses a stupendous explosion in that island blows up.
Publisher: Viking
Binding: Hardcover
