Swim That Rock

March 24, 2014
Rocco (Blackout) and Primiano deliver a predictable but entertaining coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the New England fishing industry. In order to save his family's diner, 14-year-old Jake Cole needs to finish raising $10,000 by the end of the month, so he follows in his late father's footsteps as a quahogger, fishing up the profitable clams. While he also takes on some less-than-legal nighttime work with the shady âCaptain," Jake's big chance seems poised to arrive with the opening of Barrington Beach, long closed due to pollution and one of the best quahog sites in the area. Can Jake balance quahogging by day and avoiding the âclam cops" at night, while growing closer to the lovely Darcy at the diner? Steeped in atmosphere and rich in detail, this adventure captures the salt in the air as well as the omnipresent ticking deadline. While the framework, if not the specifics, of the story are familiar, Jack's struggle is easily relatable thanks to deft characterizations and an overall sense of authenticity. Ages 12âup. Agent: Rob Weisbach, Rob Weisbach Creative Management.

March 1, 2014

Gr 6 Up-After growing eight inches in only a year, 14-year-old Jake Cole has a knack for tripping over himself. Since his dad has gone missing-presumed dead in a fishing accident-it's not only Jake's body that feels out of control. If he and his mom can't come up with $10,000 in two weeks, they will lose their diner on Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, and will be forced to move in with Jake's grandmother in Arizona. Determined not to leave his father behind, Jake takes matters into his own hands, working any job he can get that will bring him closer to paying off his family's debt. During the day, this means quahogging with the local clammers. At night, Jake takes riskier jobs, working for a gritty and mysterious stranger known only as "Captain." On the water, Jake is anything but uncoordinated. He can bring in more quahogs than almost any clammer in the Bay, but will it be enough to save the diner? This fast-paced coming-of-age tale follows a predictable plotline that readers have seen before, but the rich imagery of life in a fishing town, combined with action that primarily revolves around intense quahogging expeditions, makes this a refreshingly unique read. The beginning feels harried, throwing readers into the middle of a confusing action sequence, but the authors soon find their rhythm. Although somewhat light on character development, this feel-good story illustrates the value of hard work and determination.-Liz Overberg, Darlington School, Rome, GA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2014
A teen goes to desperate lengths to save his family's diner in this unevenly executed fishing drama set on Narragansett Bay. Fourteen-year-old Jake Cole's father was lost at sea last year. Since then, he and his mother haven't been able to keep up with the family diner's mortgage payments to the local loan sharks. His mother is ready to give up and move in with his grandmother in Arizona, but Jake has a plan. Previously polluted Barrington Beach is about to be reopened for quahog harvesting. If he and his father's old quahogging buddy Gene can pull enough clams once the beach reopens, they may be able to raise most of the mortgage money. Jake is working on getting the rest of the money by illegally fishing at night with a mysterious man he calls Captain, who claims to have known his father. But when Gene is hurt in a boating accident, Jake must work Barrington Beach alone. Can he pull enough quahogs to pay off the mob? While the distinct, clearly realized setting details distinguish this title from the vast schools of novels for young teens swimming in the publishing sea, choppy pace and perfunctory dialogue drag it down to the ocean floor. Nevertheless, fills the bill for teens looking for an atypical action adventure. (map) (Fiction. 12-15)

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2014
Grades 6-9 Jake's dad is lost at sea, presumed dead. Unless Jake and his Valium-dulled mother can pay off a loan shark by the end of the month, they'll lose their caf' and be forced to leave for Arizona. Jake's desperate efforts to raise the moneyworking by day as a picker on one quahogging boat and by night on another that harvests from polluted beds closed off by the Department of Environmental Managementfall short. But thanks to the efforts of friends and his own act of kindness to an inexperienced quahogger, the debt is paid just in time. As a bonus, he finds that he has also worked his way past the worst of his grief and anger. A values-driven story developed around the tribulations and rewards of quahog harvesting seems unlikely to find a wide audience. However, Jake's willingness to work wicked hard on both sides of the law to remain part of his Narragansett Bay community is vividly conveyed for an interested audience. The coauthors incorporate autobiographical elements, which lend the tale's cast and setting a salty authenticity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)