The Line Tender

Starred review from March 18, 2019
In Rockport, Mass., budding artist and narrator Lucy, 12, does everything with her best friend Fred, a keen scientist, including writing an extra credit field guide to local wildlife (he researches, she illustrates). When family friend and fisherman Sookie accidentally catches a great white shark, TV stations broadcast old footage of Lucy’s marine biologist mother, a shark expert who died suddenly when Lucy was seven, dredging up old feelings for the girl. Romantic tension begins to crackle between Lucy and Fred, but a tragic swimming accident at the local quarry plunges the entire town into grief, and Lucy and her depressed detective father must recover once again. Firmly rooted with a strong sense of place and sketched with powerful sensory details, the narrative offers a colorful multigenerational cast that comes together to help Lucy learn more about her mother’s work and begin to heal her own heart. Allen tackles the complexities of grief with subtly wry humor and insight in this richly layered middle grade debut about the power of science and love. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. Ages 10–up.

Jenna Lamia expresses the youthful longing of Lucy, who still grieves for her late mother, a marine biologist. After five years, she's adjusted to life with her father and is buoyed by her lifelong friendship with her neighbor, Fred. But then, he drowns. Lamia balances Lucy's grief with her determination to uncover the answer to a question her mother once studied: Why are white sharks appearing more frequently in New England? With perfect pacing, Lamia blends the thrills and frustrations of Lucy's research with her emotional path to healing. She dives deep to reflect Lucy's powerful resilience and her desire to understand the people she has lost. Using just the right touches, Lamia also enlivens the caring adult characters in the story. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine