Sea Gift [Hardcover]

John Ashby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 2003 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

After a long Nova Scotia winter of playing hockey, Lauchie convinces his mother to let him fish lobster for the summer with a close family friend. One day out on the lobster boat, Lauchie pulls up a trap that holds a very old, carefully sealed container—a gift from the sea. In the crock he finds an antique pistol, a letter dated 1608 from a Scots doctor whose ship sank in a storm, and a map describing where to find gold and silver coins salvaged from the ship. What ensues is a dangerous quest into a hidden cave tucked into a coastal cliff. Suspenseful and riveting, Lauchie’s adventure is also a journey of self-discovery on which he learns valuable lessons about himself and his community.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-It is Lauchie and Angus's first season working lobster off the coast of Cape Breton, and for Lauchie, whose father died at sea, it has taken a great deal of talking to convince his mother to let him go. The boys look forward to the work and experience, but they get more of both than they anticipated. Lauchie finds a strange sealed crock in a day's catch, and when he and Angus open it, they discover a letter written by a shipwrecked doctor in 1632, along with a treasure map. Needless to say, the friends become obsessed with the idea of finding the treasure, even if it means they have to ask their hockey arch rival, Moose, for help in researching Micmac legend and language. The outcome of their pursuits, regardless of a few life-threatening moments, is not a surprise; however, the journey is fast paced enough to keep it interesting. The fishing terminology and Cape Bretonisms may leave some kids high and dry, but generally the story carries itself. Fans of Avi's Windcatcher (Bradbury, 1991), Will Hobbs's Ghost Canoe (Morrow, 1997), and Gordon Korman's "Dive" trilogy (Scholastic, 2003) will enjoy this adventure.
Laura Reed, Kitchener Public Library, Ontario, Canada
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-8. Lauchie and his friends spend their time exploring the coastline of their home on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. When Lauchie discovers a flintlock pistol and a letter written in 1632, complete with references to hidden gold coins, the treasure hunt is on. The search leads Lauchie and his friend Angus to a hitherto undiscovered cave, where the collapse of part of the cave wall nearly traps them inside. Ashby elevates what could have been a conventional treasure-hunt story. However, with evocative descriptions of Cape Breton Island and the lives of its residents, Ashby gives readers a deep sense of the smells, sounds, and sights of the shore and sea while capturing the speech patterns and deep bonds within the close-knit community. Middle-school readers will enjoy the personal stories and rich setting just as much as the basic adventure. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 202 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (October 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395776031
• ISBN-13: 978-0395776032
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,060,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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