The Line Tender by Kate Allen
Published by Dutton on April 16, 2019
ISBN: 0735231605
Pages: 384
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

I find it interesting that the book is about death and sharks but the sharks don’t cause the deaths. Twelve-year-old Lucy Everhart is growing up in Rockport, MA with her dad and a close community of friends because her mother, a shark specialist, died when she was seven. Lucy and her friend/neighbor, Fred, are working on a field guide of native species as an extra credit assignment. Fred dies in a swimming accident. Allen has created an interesting story and a helpful model for how Lucy deals with her grief and relies on the support of the imperfect adults around her. The inclusion of women scientists is applauded, as is Lucy’s own budding interest in marine biology. A sketch of a different shark accompanies each chapter, reflecting Lucy’s own artwork.

Cream of the Crop
Note: I reviewed but did not receive this book.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library