"When his dad goes missing in a fishing-boat accident, fourteen-year-old Jake refuses to think he may have lost his father forever. But suddenly, nothing seems certain in Jake s future, and now his family s diner may be repossessed by loan sharks. In Narragansett Bay, scrabbling out a living as a quahogger isn t easy, but with the help of some local clammers, Jake is determined to work hard and earn enough money to ensure his family s security and save the diner in time. Told with cinematic suspense and a true compassion for the characters, Swim That Rock is a fast-paced coming-of-age story that beautifully and evocatively captures the essence of coastal Rhode Island life, the struggles of blue-collar family dynamics, and the dreams of one boy to come into his own."--From publisher.

Grades: 6-up. SLJ.