The Line Tender

Gr 5-8--Twelve-year-old Lucy Everhart is growing up in the 90s in Rockport, MA, five years after her mother, a marine-biologist and shark specialist, passed away. As a summer assignment, she creates a field guide with her best friend, Fred, who is as much of a science enthusiast as Lucy's mother was. Her relationship with Fred becomes more complicated as the two begin developing feelings for one another--then Fred suddenly dies in an accident. Lucy copes with his death by delving into her mother's unfinished research with the help of her father, a local fisherman, and an elderly neighbor. The four form a bond which helps them all to overcome their own personal struggles. Lucy is a grounded, relatable character and the way she processes her grief is believable. Allen skillfully tackles the difficult issues without becoming too didactic or morose. The inclusion of women scientists, including Lucy's mother and, later, one of Lucy's mother's colleagues, is welcome as is Lucy's own budding interest in marine biology. A two-page black-and-white sketch of a different shark accompanies each chapter, reflecting Lucy's own affinity for art. VERDICT Thoughtful and moving, this coming-of-age middle grade novel is a worthwhile addition to any collection serving middle school students.--Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

In Rockport, Mass., budding artist and narrator Lucy, 12, does everything with her best friend Fred, a keen scientist, including writing an extra credit field guide to local wildlife (he researches, she illustrates). When family friend and fisherman Sookie accidentally catches a great white shark, TV stations broadcast old footage of Lucy's marine biologist mother, a shark expert who died suddenly when Lucy was seven, dredging up old feelings for the girl. Romantic tension begins to crackle between Lucy and Fred, but a tragic swimming accident at the local quarry plunges the entire town into grief, and Lucy and her depressed detective father must recover once again. Firmly rooted with a strong sense of place and sketched with powerful sensory details, the narrative offers a colorful multigenerational cast that comes together to help Lucy learn more about her mother's work and begin to heal her own heart. Allen tackles the complexities of grief with subtly wry humor and insight in this richly layered middle grade debut about the power of science and love. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

A National Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Best Book

"Kate Allen writes with lyric grace, and her beautifully textured narrative, of a girl struggling to understand and move beyond tragedy, is a triumph."—The Buffalo News

"Allen's understated but richly detailed story will help young readers dig into their resilience to see how they, too, can draw connections in their lives."—The Minneapolis Star Tribune

"A masterful blend of exuberant life and its accompanying tragedy."—The Florida Times Union

"Allen's debut novel is, indeed, tender. Also funny, poignant, sad and filled with hope."—The St. Paul Pioneer Press

"In following the adaptation of sharks to a shifting ecology, The Line Tender speaks to our own human capacity to adapt to loss—and Lucy's losses are profound. This is a novel that stirs our deepest hope that we can survive profound change, that we can even move into new channels that will support us and nourish us and point us toward what we had never anticipated. This is a celebration of our ability to survive."—Gary Schmidt, Newbery and Printz Honoree and National Book Award Finalist

"This richly textured story calls us to our most pressing business on earth: to understand and respect the stunningly complex creatures around us before they disappear forever." —Margi Preus, author of Heart of a Samurai, a Newbery Honor book

"Holy fish, this is a graceful, honest, special book. The Line Tender is a story of resilience. It's about how unbelievably strong and resourceful kids can be. About the real magic in the world—the magic of science, the magic of survival, and the magic of love." —Laurel Snyder, author of the National Book Award longlisted Orphan Island

"The Line Tender captivated me. From page one through the end of the book, I couldn't stop turning pages. I was completely lost in the book when I was reading it, and obsessed with trying to get back to the book when I was not. You MUST add this book to your reading list."—Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club co-founder and editor of The Creativity Project

"I have gasped and cried multiple times while reading Kate Allen's deeply moving debut."—Mr. Schu school and library childen's literature advocate

★"Rich, complex, and confidently voiced."—Kirkus Reviews, starred
★"Allen tackles the complexities of grief with subtly wry humor and insight in this richly layered middle grade debut about the power of science and love."—Publishers Weekly, starred
★"There's no art or science to navigating loss, but Allen blends both into a hopeful path forward."—Booklist, starred
★"This book will appeal to just about everyone." - School Library Connection, starred
★"Allen writes with tenderness and confidence....a classic life-affirming weeper, and readers will pick up some respect for sharks along the sniffling way."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred
★"Numerous middle grade books deal with grief, but few do it so beautifully―and hopefully―as The Line Tender." —Bookpage, starred
★"Kate Allen has created a landscape that, in spite of being filled with big, heartbreaking themes of loss, is understated and exquisitely, beautifully real."—Shelf Awareness, starred