The Girl Who Rowed the Ocean

Written by Alastair Humphreys

I got completely absorbed in this middle-grade adventure. At the outset, readers meet Lucy who is arguing with her brother Tom. Readers feel at home in an average American family. When Lucy’s teacher introduces the topic of oceans, Lucy decides she is all-in on pursuing an adventure to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a boat without engines or sails.

Her determination and persistence convince her family, friends, and teacher to support Lucy in her adventure. She solicits sponsors, learns about navigation, secures supplies, accesses communication equipment, and prepares for the big day.

Readers share the elation of stars, sunsets, and serenity of the seas. They also experience its dangers at every turn. For forty-five days, they read her diary and the writings of her classmates at home.

I love the lessons of sea-faring knowledge, and the strong character displayed by the protagonist. This book is a page-turner and an enjoyable read for the target audience of ages seven through twelve, but I promise a rewardable experience for any age reader.

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Best Practices for Designing a User-Friendly Website Navigation and Layout

Make your site easy to navigate and you’ll see more conversions, improved SEO, and stronger relationships with your audience.  Here are some best practices you can implement today to create a website with user-friendly navigation and layout.

Keep It Simple

• Prioritize and organize site elements by relevance
• Minimize clutter and unnecessary design elements

Consistent Design

• Maintain design consistency across all pages
• Ensure uniformity in navigation elements

A Clear Hierarchy

• Establish clear visual hierarchy for content and navigation
• Use visual indicators and drop-down menus for primary options

Breadcrumb Navigation

• Use breadcrumb navigation for user location tracking
• Represents categories, subcategories, filters, tags, user path

Mobile-Friendly Navigation

• Ensure easy navigation on all mobile devices
• Incorporate collapsible menus, recognized icons, adaptive layouts

Easy Search Function

• Provide prominently visible search bar on all pages
• Keep search bar placement consistent

Footer Navigation

• Use footer navigation for additional options
• Include links to key pages like About Us, Contact, Privacy Policy, etc.

White Space

• Enhance navigation with white space for element separation
• Ensure white space doesn’t distract users

Testing

• Gather user feedback through testing for improvements
• Conduct usability testing in-person or remotely

Good Design Is All about Good User Experience

• User-friendly design leads to positive user experience
• Increases engagement and conversions

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FOR AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW