About This Book
Reach for this book when your middle-schooler is beginning to grasp the weight of family responsibility or is processing the lingering grief of losing a loved one. Set against the gritty, salt-sprayed backdrop of 1980s Rhode Island, this story follows 14-year-old Jake as he desperately tries to save his mother's diner from debt after his father goes missing at sea. It is a powerful exploration of the lengths a child will go to for their family and the ethical gray areas encountered when survival is on the line. Parents will appreciate how the book balances high-stakes adventure with grounded emotional realism. While it captures the danger of illegal quahogging and the rough world of the docks, it never loses sight of Jake's internal growth. This is an ideal choice for readers aged 10 to 14 who are ready for a more mature look at financial hardship and the complex transition from childhood to becoming a provider.
