The year is 1945, and after the unexpected death of his mother, thirteen-year-old Jack Baker finds himself navigating life at a boy's boarding school in Maine, a far cry from his home in Kansas. Reeling from his loss, Jack feels like he has lost his bearings in this unfamiliar place. Then he meets Early Auden, a boy unlike any he has ever known. Early always says what's on his mind, is an expert on the number pi, and only listens to Billie Holiday when it's raining. When Jack and Early are left behind at school during a holiday break, the two embark upon a quest to find the Great Appalachian bear, and hopefully, Early's brother, who everyone knows was lost in the war. Along the way, they meet some remarkable characters, many with curious similarities to those in the story of pi told by Early. What starts out as a dubious plan becomes an amazing adventure, where even the impossible can become true.

Written by Newbery Medal-winning author Clare Vanderpool, Navigating Early is the story of two boys dealing with loss at the end of World War II. After a four year absence, Jack does not feel close to his father, who only shows up long enough to pack away the memories of Jack's mother and escort him to a new school in Maine. Jack feels tremendous guilt because he was unable to do the one thing his father asked him to do when he left for the war--to take care of his mother. At school, Jack befriends Early, a unique boy who has an extraordinary ability in math. While it is implied that Early has high functioning autism, the author's note explains that the word "autistic" is not used in the story in order to be historically accurate. The two boys form a friendship and embark upon a journey that is rich with discussion worthy themes: navigating loss, believing the impossible can be true, and moving forward even if you can't see the path that's in front of you. Because Early sees numbers in colors and shapes, he crafts a story about a human version of the number pi, which artfully parallels the story of Jack and Early's journey. While the subject matter can be a bit weighty, all loose ends are tied up neatly by the end of the story and readers are left with a sense of well-being and optimism. Navigating Early would be excellent material for a classroom discussion, where some of the more subtle themes could be discovered with a teacher's guidance.

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