(Dutton Books for Young Readers)
Thirteen-year-old Lucy Elizabeth Everhart and her best friend Fred reside in a small town on the coast of Massachusetts. Their sleepy summer is cracked open by the catch of an enormous Great White Shark by a local fisherman. Lucy is still coming to terms with the sudden loss of her mother, a respected and talented marine-biologist who studied sharks, and even swam with sharks as well as pursuing research grants. Lucy’s dad is also not fully recovered from losing his wife and the mother of his daughter, and the shark, an unusual catch in their location, churns up deep emotions for both of them. Lucy then faces another devastating loss, and with aimlessness looming, and a best friend’s passion as motivation, she bravely embarks on a project to finish the work her mother started while simultaneously finding a path back to herself. Armed with project notes assembled by her mom, who died when she was seven, Lucy faces her fears and begins to heal and grow. Fascinating facts about sharks’ physiology and nature plus accompanying illustrations add to this rewarding read for ages 10 and up. The plot is satisfyingly straight-forward and the language is refreshing in its honesty, tackling themes of bereavement and friendship with insight and poignancy.
— Reviewed by Jenny Lyons of The Vermont Book Shop in Middlebury.
7 Super Selections for Spring Reading
The Sun Is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon
Eventown, by Corey Ann Haydu
New Kid, by Jerry Craft
Greystone Secrets, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Pax, by Sara Pennypacker
The Next Great Paulie Fink, by Ali Benjamin
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, by Dusti Bowling