Salisbury, Graham. Lord of the deep.

Lord of the deep. Random House, Laurel-Leaf. 182p c2001. 0-44022911-1. $5.50. J*

To quote KLIATT's July 2001 review of the hardcover edition:

Mikey, age 13, is "the youngest full-time deckhand ever to fish the deep waters of Hawaii's Kona coast." He's happy to be helping out his stepfather, Bill, whom he worships, and he tries hard to do his best at the job, knowing that the money Bill makes from running a charter fishing boat is needed for his sickly young half-brother's medical bills. Two brothers from Colorado have hired the boat for three days, but they caught nothing on the first day, and today everyone is eager for them to land a fish. The brothers are real jerks, unfortunately, but one of them has brought along his teenaged daughter, and Alison and Mikey quickly become friendly. When one brother lands a world-record mahi-mahi, Bill goes along with his lie that he did it all by himself, to Mikey's shocked disgust. How can Mikey come to terms with Bill's acquiescence and his own conscience?

Salisbury, author of award-winning YA novels such as Under the Blood-Red Sun, grew up on the Hawaiian islands and he describes being out on the waters off Hawaii in muscular, effective prose. The fishing scenes are dramatic, action-packed, and brutal, and the details of running a fishing boat are convincing. Mikey's moral dilemma is equally well portrayed, as he tries to understand Bill's motivations and find an acceptable response to the situation. Father-son issues come to the surface. This swift and often exciting read is a good choice for those who like action and adventure tales, as well as for reluctant readers, and it is sure to provoke thought and discussion. An ALA Best Book for YAs; winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.