Book Descriptions
for Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Mikey, age 13, is proud to be working as a deckhand for his stepfather Bill, aboard Bill’s Hawaiian charter fishing boat. Bill seems adept at knowing just how much work Mikey is able to perform, and Mikey soaks up Bill’s understated appreciation and respect, determined to live up to his stepdad’s expectations. A pair of obnoxious customers makes Mikey question Bill’s integrity, however. They treat Bill and Mikey rudely and then threaten to sabotage the struggling charter business if Bill does not support their manufactured account of landing a trophy fish without Mikey’s help. The fishing scenes shine with authenticity, a splendid backdrop to Mikey’s discovery that right and wrong are less concrete than he had previously thought. Readers will especially appreciate the solid framework of this boy’s strong and loving bond with his stepfather. Mikey’s mixed-race heritage (white/Polynesian) is part of his identity, but not the focus of this lively novel. (Ages 10–14)
CCBC Choices 2002 . © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2002. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
Fishing. This is it, the big time. Mikey's 13, a deckhand working on a charter boat in Hawaii. Working for the best skipper anywhere, his stepdad, Bill. Before Bill came along, it was just Mikey and his mom. Now they're a real family, and Mikey has a little brother. He can't believe how lucky he is. And now he's learning from the best, even though he's only 13. Because Bill believes in him. And Mikey won't let him down. He loves fishing and being out on the boat. But some seas, some fish, and some charter clients are a lot tougher to handle than Mikey ever imagined. Take Ernie and Cal-they chartered Bill's boat for three days and they're out for the adventure of their lives. Now it's up to Mikey and Bill to deliver it.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.