Gr 5–8—A victim of cystic fibrosis, 11-year-old Tommy downplays his condition and feeds his fascination with sharks. He has studied them for years, learning about their survival instincts. Tommy often struggles for breath, but he keeps a marathon pace as his bank of knowledge about these animals grows. He writes an autobiographical essay, enters a contest, and wins a trip to California to go on a shark watch. His 15-year-old sister, Bee, who mostly takes care of him, and his single mom, who mostly doesn't, join him. While on the boat, Tommy hopes against hope that his wish will be granted: to be lowered in a cage to experience the creatures eye-to-eye. A combination of seasickness and the dangerously rough sea nixes that. Bee, hovering and all-knowing, makes a pivotal decision: Tommy's daily struggle for life must not be all that he experiences. While their mother is out on an all-night date, the two set off to meet a local hero of sorts—a young surfer who lived to tell about a shark attack. Tommy, Bee, the surfer, and his younger brother form an instant bond. They hang out, do the California dreamin' thing, and give Tommy a surfing adventure he'll never forget. The flip side—and not surprisingly—he almost dies. This is as much Bee's coming-of-age story as it is Tommy's. Her narrative about her brother's condition and tangential situations of drama, romance, and their mother's behaviors often compromise the story's punch.—Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY
"A compassionate, wholly absorbing story about 15-year-old Bee, her beloved 11-year-old brother, Tommy, who has cystic fibrosis, and their sometimes-flighty single mother, who travel from small-town New Hampshire to San Francisco via a wish-granting organization for kids with life-threatening medical conditions. Tommy, with a quiet, intelligent intensity, is a shark expert whose dream is to dive with great white sharks "because they are the apex predator fish and they fascinate me." Bee, responsible and high-achieving, is protective of Tommy and hopes that this trip to the Farallones will give him one exciting day "filled all the way up." But it's an unplanned expedition to Half Moon Bay and Maverick's Break, a surfing location known for its 50-foot waves, that affects both of them deeply. Writing from Bee's point of view using clear, distinctive prose that is interspersed with Tommy's intriguing facts about sharks, shark attacks, whales and the ocean, Monninger adroitly creates a moving, suspenseful story of survival that is part surfing adventure, part nature-and-science tale. A winning generosity of spirit infuses the narrative, particularly regarding shark/animal conservation."-Kirkus Reviews , starred -Booklist, starred
Bee will do just about anything for her younger brother, Tommy, who has cystic fibrosis, and she's happy to accompany him on a charity-funded trip to California to grant his biggest wish: to encounter sharks, the animal with which he's obsessed, in their natural habitat. The trip becomes a bit of a disappointment, however, when Tommy's serious and intent conoisseurship is diluted by what's really a glorified tourist whale-watching trip, and when Tommy and Bee's mother gets diverted, as usual, by men. Bee decides to make it up to Tommy by taking him on an unsanctioned excursion to see his email buddy and idol, a surfer who survived a shark attack, and she thus opens up a world of new possibilities, both wonderful and dangerous, for Tommy and for herself. Monninger is probably the best writer going at melding breathtaking human drama and fascination with the natural world; Tommy's shark obsession, credibly the thorough, tireless expertise of the bright kid who's studied way beyond most adults, gives the book an opportunity to explore the sharks' world as well as to convey key aspects of Tommy's character. Narrator Bee is moving as the disciplined, capable, and utterly devoted older sister, who respects her thoughtful little brother above everyone but still engages him in goofy sibling back-and-forth, and who hasn't really had much chance or desire to think of herself independently. Particularly heartwarming is the portrait of the group of surfers who take Tommy under their wing, giving him a chance, albeit a risky one, at experiencing a camaraderie and competency that for once isn't shadowed by his illness. Fans of Monninger's other works will recognize the fluid, thoughtful writing and vivid characters, and this could also be an eye-opener for shark aficionados looking to take their interest beyond the glitz of Shark Week.--(DS)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Fifteen-year-old Bee's younger brother, Tommy, has cystic fibrosis and is an avid shark buff. After a wishgranting
charity fulfills Tommy's dream to see great whites up close, Bee, 11-year-old Tommy, and their
mother fly from New Hampshire to San Francisco. But after the outing proves disappointing, and their
single mother seems more focused on a new man than on family, Bee and Tommy travel down the coast to
meet Tommy's pen pal and hero, Ty, a surfer and shark-attack survivor. There, Bee finds friendship,
including a potential romance with Ty's 16-year-old younger brother, while Tommy gets his longed-for
sea adventure, which ends up being difficult and inspiring. Bee's intimate, first-person narrative is wholly
compelling and emotionally resonant. Monninger creates diverse, well-drawn characters, and Tommy's
illness is portrayed without sentimentality, in straightforward detail. Interspersed among the breathtaking,
vivid descriptions of events and settings are shark facts (further discussed in an author's note) that
illuminate nature's brutality and beauty. What shines most, though, are the relationships among characters,
particularly between conscientious, school-achiever Bee and courageous, touching Tommy. With mutual
admiration, support, and love, they draw strength and perspective from one another and together gain
further appreciation for human frailties and resilience. An absorbing, beautifully written novel that will
affect readers on many levels.
— Shelle Rosenfeld
A compassionate, wholly absorbing story about 15-year-old Bee, her beloved 11-year-old brother, Tommy, who has cystic fibrosis, and their sometimes-flighty single mother, who travel from small-town New Hampshire to San Francisco via a wish-granting organization for kids with life-threatening medical conditions. Tommy, with a quiet, intelligent intensity, is a shark expert whose dream is to dive with great white sharks "because they are the apex predator fish and they fascinate me." Bee, responsible and high-achieving, is protective of Tommy and hopes that this trip to the Farallones will give him one exciting day "filled all the way up." But it's an unplanned expedition to Half Moon Bay and Maverick's Break, a surfing location known for its 50-foot waves, that affects both of them deeply. Writing from Bee's point of view using clear, distinctive prose that is interspersed with Tommy's intriguing facts about sharks, shark attacks, whales and the ocean, Monninger adroitly creates a moving, suspenseful story of survival that is part surfing adventure, part nature-and-science tale. A winning generosity of spirit infuses the narrative, particularly regarding shark/animal conservation. (afterword) (Fiction. 12 & up)
