Armstrong Sperry's Call It Courage is set in the Pacific Islands and tells the story of Mafatu, a chief's son who has a terrible fear of the sea and must fight to overcome it.

When he is three years old, Mafatu and his mother are exploring the barrier reef when a hurricane suddenly hits and destroys their canoe. The canoe is pulled out to sea by the turbulent waves and then capsizes. Mafatu's mother grabs him and manages to make her way to a floating pole from their wrecked canoe. The two spend the night in the freezing cold water, holding onto the pole. The next morning, sharks appear and begin to swarm around them. The mother and son manage to swim to safety. The swim depletes the last of Mafatu's mother's energy, and she dies in front of him.

Witnessing the tragic death of his mother at sea leaves Mafatu with an intense fear of the ocean. Since the sea is such a large and important part of Pacific Islander culture, Mafatu's fear of the water causes him a great deal of trouble. His father, the chief of Hikueru Island, and his tribe are ashamed of him, and they view him as a coward.