- Paperback: 168 pages
- Publisher: Nimbus (April 15 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 155109777X
- ISBN-13: 978-1551097770
- Product Dimensions: 19.3 x 13.2 x 1.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 181 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,256,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Book Description
The tiny fishing community of Deeper Harbour is in deep trouble—and so is fourteen-year-old Roland MacTavish. Roland’s mom wants to move with him to Ottawa, away from his father, his weird friend Dulsie, and his even weirder grandfather, Angus. So Roland does what any sane teenager would do: He invents a sea monster. Unfortunately, the scheme quickly spins out of Roland’s control, and he has to go to greater and greater lengths to keep up the illusion. And then Roland must deal with a situation far more terrifying than any sea monster. As moving as it is irresistibly funny, Steve Vernon’s portrait of Roland and Deeper Harbour is perfect for anyone who’s ever been stuck badly enough to do something awesomely, brilliantly, heroically stupid.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Witty, LOL funny, Yet Deals Well with Some Serious Issues,
By
This review is from: Sinking Deeper: Or My Questionable (Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster (Paperback)
Reason for Reading: I love reading great new Canadian Kids' fiction and who could pass up a title like that!14 yo Roland MacTavish has lived in the sleepy little Nova Scotian town of Deeper Harbour all his life. His father is the police chief and his mother is the mayor and they've been getting divorced for the last two years. He lives back and forth between the two of them, and also spends time with his two best friends: his grandfather, Angus MacTavish, and Dulsie, a self-proclaimed "punk-goth-freakazoid" who desperately wants a tattoo but whose father won't let her so instead she paints a different tattoo on her face everyday with face paint. Roland thinks Deeper Harbour is the pits until he finds out his mum is moving him and her to Ottawa at the end of the summer because it is a dying town and she wants to see a bit of the world while she's young enough to enjoy it. Roland comes up with an idea to attract tourists to the town, so that it can get revitalized and change his mother's mind and what would work better than for the town to have its very own sea monster. And with the help of his friends and an extra unexpected pair of hands, that's just what he sets out to do. This is one of the funniest books I've read in some time. The humour is so witty and the circumstances so hilarious I was tittering out loud. Roland is the narrator and he has a wonderful voice and way with words, he tells events in a straightforward manner but with tongue in cheek and a certain sarcasm that his wit makes the scenes and events incredibly funny. While a deliciously witty book the book also deals with some serious issues. Divorce, single parent family, anxiety, living life to the fullest, expressing your individuality in a very small town and, death. There are a few small hints of first novel-itis but the book's excellent plot, characters and humour more than make up for that. A great new Canadian read!
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Folklore,
By Wag The Fox (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sinking Deeper: Or My Questionable (Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster (Paperback)
When I read Haunted Harbours: Ghost Stories from Old Nova Scotia and Halifax Haunts: Exploring the City's Spookiest Spaces, I thought it showed Steve Vernon's innate folkloristic abilities. Those were essentially nonfiction books, offering local legends from the Maritimes. This time around, Steve has crafted his own Maritime legend in the form of a middle-grade novel.Roland MacTavish is a fourteen-year-old living Deeper Harbour, a slowly dying small town on the southern shores of Nova Scotia. His mother's the mayor, his father's the police cheif, and his grandfather Angus is his best friend. Yeah, the town's that small. But after some late night hijinks with his grandfather, and his self-described "punk-goth-freakazoid" friend Dulsie, Roland's mother tells him that she's resigning as mayor and moving to Ottawa--and taking Roland with her. From that point on, Roland is determined to rejuvenate Deeper Harbour and convince his mother to stay, so he doesn't have to move. The plan? Invent a sea monster as a tourist attraction. What ensues is a rollicking read that captures the youthful exuberance and naivety that makes the best children's stories. Steve captures the voice of a desperate young teen resistant to being uprooted from everything he knows and loves. All of the characters are distinct and likable and the 160 pages keep plot condensed to its purest elements. Roland's grandfather, Angus, was a particular treat to read. The guy was a hoot and kinda steals the show. The story is saturated in turns of phrase and figures of speech though, and feels a bit exaggerated at times. The story itself makes up for that, however, wrapping the reader up in an adventure that feels outlandish and believable at the same time. Canada is full of quirky local legends, several of them involving sea creatures, and this one feels like it fits right in with the rest of them. A fun read for any kid--or kid at heart.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
4.0 out of 5 stars
Witty, LOL funny, Yet Deals Well with Some Serious Issues,
By Nicola Manning - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Sinking Deeper: Or My Questionable (Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster (Paperback)
Reason for Reading: I love reading great new Canadian Kids' fiction and who could pass up a title like that!14 yo Roland MacTavish has lived in the sleepy little Nova Scotian town of Deeper Harbour all his life. His father is the police chief and his mother is the mayor and they've been getting divorced for the last two years. He lives back and forth between the two of them, and also spends time with his two best friends: his grandfather, Angus MacTavish, and Dulsie, a self-proclaimed "punk-goth-freakazoid" who desperately wants a tattoo but whose father won't let her so instead she paints a different tattoo on her face everyday with face paint. Roland thinks Deeper Harbour is the pits until he finds out his mum is moving him and her to Ottawa at the end of the summer because it is a dying town and she wants to see a bit of the world while she's young enough to enjoy it. Roland comes up with an idea to attract tourists to the town, so that it can get revitalized and change his mother's mind and what would work better than for the town to have its very own sea monster. And with the help of his friends and an extra unexpected pair of hands, that's just what he sets out to do. This is one of the funniest books I've read in some time. The humour is so witty and the circumstances so hilarious I was tittering out loud. Roland is the narrator and he has a wonderful voice and way with words, he tells events in a straightforward manner but with tongue in cheek and a certain sarcasm that his wit makes the scenes and events incredibly funny. While a deliciously witty book the book also deals with some serious issues. Divorce, single parent family, anxiety, living life to the fullest, expressing your individuality in a very small town and, death. There are a few small hints of first novel-itis but the book's excellent plot, characters and humour more than make up for that. A great new Canadian read! |
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