Sinking Deeper: Or My Questionable (Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster

by Steve Vernon

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.

This book is on the shortlist for the 2013 Hackmatack Award as well as the 2013 Silver Birch Award.

Genres: Young Adult, Canada, Contemporary

160 pages, Kobo

Published January 1, 2012

About the author

Hi! I'm Steve Vernon and I'd love to scare you. Along the way I'll entertain you. I guarantee a giggle as well.

If I listed all of the books I've written I'd bore you - and I am allergic to boring.

Instead, let me recommend one single book of mine.

Pick up SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME for an example of true Steve Vernon storytelling. It's hockey and vampires for folks who love hockey and vampires - and for folks who don't!

For more up-to-date info please follow my blog at:
http://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpre...

And follow me at Twitter:
@StephenVernon

yours in storytelling,

Steve Vernon

Reviews

[Gef · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jo Yhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinking Deeper is a fun ride, filled with humour. You feel like you are in this small town - the author captures it perfectly. The characters will wiggle their way into your heart. Kids will love the gross and the funny! A great read for all ages.

[Devodrummer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked sinking deeper. I liked it because it was intressting how they made a sea monster out of a dory. But it was confusing. At the end i thought it was sad. Sinking deeper is my favourate book so far.

[Sue Slade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinking Deeper by Steve Vernon is a laugh-out-loud, delightful middle-grade story set in a small town, on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Fourteen-year-old Roland who is the narrator of the story invents a Sea Monster in order to bring tourists to Deeper Harbour and revitalize it. He does this to convince his Mom to change her mind about moving them to Ottawa away from his Father, his not a girlfriend Dulsie, and his best friend- his Grandfather, Angus MacTavish.
I loved the quirky characters and the late-night shenanigans. I should note here that I laughed so hard in chapter 3 I fell apart and I gave myself a headache. A recommended read for those who like a story with humour, a bit of suspense, some adventure, some sadness and did I mention humour?

[Dean Italiano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinking Deeper was a (rightfully) Silver Birch selection. It's a charming, East Coast story about a boy named Roland who creates a sea monster. Steve's humour comes through, and the characters are definitely as interesting as the premise.

This is a great book for kids. The only part that took me out of the story (which kids love) was the use of long and odd similes or metaphors. They are definitely funny, but happened a little too often for me.

Overall a great story, and definitely recommended for your young reader!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinking Deeper OR My awesome brilliant Questionable Heroic Decision to Invent a Sea Monster could be called hilarious, or it could be called reminiscent of younger days – for those of us who are old enough to have “younger days” and who found themselves in impossible situations, or it could be called adventurous, or … well, you get the picture. This book is all of the above and more.

Steve Vernon, known for his very creative storytelling, has written this enjoyable story based in the fictional laid-back fishing community of Deeper Harbour, Nova Scotia. His main character, who is relating the adventure, is a fourteen-year-old boy trying to do the right thing, but – as a member of a rather dysfunctional but loveable family – he is persuaded to do the unusual and ofttimes the outlandish, by his two best friends – one being his grandfather!And it’s his grandfather who adds the most to the craziness.

The emotional thread is that this teen boy, whose name is Roland, is determined to find a way to stay in Deeper Harbour. His parents are divorcing and his mother has decided to move to Ottawa, Ontario, taking him along. He has to do something to change her mind. What he ends up doing is creating a sea monster, but – through events that grow and grow – what transpires is far greater than anything he ever could have imagined.

I would like to tell you more but I don’t want to spoil it for you. What I will say is Steve Vernon included everything – humour, adventure, suspense, sadness, mystery, hilarity, unexpected twists and turns to keep the reader involved, and did I say it’s funny? It’s funny.

I urge you to add this action-filled, entertaining book to your ‘to be read’ pile. It’s great for middle-grade readers right on up to, and including, grandmas. (I very much enjoyed it. :) ) Its short chapters are very convenient when one does not have much time to read in one sitting, but you really won’t want the time between readings to be long.

This book has been noticed in high places and has been short-listed for the Silver Birches award for children's fiction.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Steve Vernon]

This is my very first YA novel and I am way more than just a little excited about its upcoming release this April.

Let me start with a link to its very first review from the good folks at the Canadian Materials review site.

http://www.umanitoba.ca/cm/vol17/no27...

So what is the book about?

Let me just steal a snippet from the back copy. I don't think the author will mind. I know the guy. He's very understanding, even though his feet smell funny.

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.

For further info be sure to "like" my Facebook Sinking Deeper page. There will be giveaways & contests over the next few weeks - and a chance to win some free books.

https://www.facebook.com/stevevernon0...

Yours in storytelling,

Steve Vernon

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received Sinking Deeper: Or My Questionable (Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster by Steve Vernon as part of my YABA jury duties.

I loved this book. The East Coast of Canada has always appealed to me (says the person who moved all the way West) and this novel oozes with East Coast charm.

The characters were rich and vibrant. The grandfather is my favourite,; he has sayings no one understands and a childish sense of adventure that is absolutely delightful. I was literally laughing out loud. There is also a girl with a very unique sense of style and the way that the boy narrating the story describes her is filled with that somewhat embarrassed affection that makes everything so authentic throughout the book. The only character I didn’t like was the librarian, mostly because I’m tired of librarians being seen as frumpy old spinsters, but even her character grows a bit.

The plot is adorable, in a way I wasn’t sure was possible and I think it will be enjoyed immensely by tweens and young teens, as well as adults who are from a small town, children of divorce or have a wild imagination and crazy schemes up their sleeve.

My only issue with this novel is that it felt a little bit young for the award, I think it’s right on the verge of being in the children’s category. The narrator is 14 but he feels more like 12. On the other hand, he has lived a somewhat sheltered life and since boys mature slower than girls maybe it’s just right.

Altogether a wonderful little book!

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover:

Love the drawn monster and the handwriting below the "Sinking Deeper". One thing that sticks out is that the photo of the village seem to have been taken at night, which I don't like. Just a little detail.

The book:

The author nails the voice of a fourteen-year-old boy. Nails it, just about drives it through the pages. Roland's at times cocky, impulsive and prejudiced and at times wary, nervous and downright scared. Other characters aren't lacking in dimension either: Dulsie is a self-proclaimed "punk-goth-freakazoid" with a new tattoo every day; Granddad Angus says adventure is just a long-winded way of saying fun; and Warren, Dulsie's father, turns out to have hidden depths -- maybe a little too many to stay realistic.

This kind of "wild plan" novel stands out from other teen scheme books in that the plan doesn't backfire. Instead, the author uses it to subtly deepen Roland's understanding of his community while bringing all kinds of hilarious conflicts into play. The touching ending may be regarded as one that doesn't quite fit with the rest of the novel's tone, however.

Sinking Deeper is divided into five unnecessary parts, seeing how short it is, and the chapters are brief as well. But wait -- David Suzuki almost gets murdered by a caber at the end! Who am I to argue with that? :P

[Logan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this was an amazing book. It was really difficult to get into at first because of all teh crazy stuff they did. It was like they did one thing then they started to do something else. Around part 2 is where it gets interseting. I really loved the book after part 2 because that is when it began to make sense more. The idea of making a sea monster to save a town was questionable? No it was brilliant, no better than that it was heroic. The ending was super sad. But overall forgiving the terrible start to it I still give this book a 5 out of 5.

[Tasha-Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a ton of fun! I read it over a couple of hours this afternoon and laughed out loud quite a few times. I love the way Mr Vernon describes things so over-the-top outrageously! I definitely recommend this one to anyone who's looking for a fun YA book to read!

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good. There are a couple reasons, one: people i can relate to. Two:it has lots of made-up words. Three: its really funny. It has a happy ending which not many books have and that's another reason i like it. Also in this book there is not a dull moment. I loved it so much.

[Kat Kruger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious tale by master storyteller Steve Vernon.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

AW, I simply loved it! It was full of heart and humor and a great, great story.

[Heather Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great Junior Fiction book!! It is very well written...funny and moving story!!

[Lana Kamennof-sine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a wonder filled story. Believable, good range of emotions, brilliant

[CanadianReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sinking Deeper is the story of fourteen-year-old Roland Diefenbaker McTavish's scheme to create--with the help of his beloved prankster grandfather Angus, his best friend Dulsie, and her dad Warren Boudreau--a sea monster to draw tourists to the dying fishing village of Deeper Harbour, Nova Scotia. Roland's mother, the mayor, a woman on the brink of divorcing his father, the police chief, has determined that she and Roland will soon leave this picturesque crime-free maritime town for Ottawa, a land of greater opportunity. Roland says he hates his mother, and determined to stay in Nova Scotia, he enlists the help of Granddad Angus, Dulsie, and Warren to construct a sea monster, which comes to be known as Fogopogo. Roland reasons: "If there were a sea monster in Deeper Harbour the tourists would come back. Once the tourists came back, the money would come back. Stores would open up and this town would have a real future. Maybe there would be television specials and maybe even an action movie and Mom would say something like, 'Hey, why did I ever think we needed to move to Ottawa when there is so much happening right here in Deeper Harbour?"
After Roland notifies various organizations dedicated to investigating sightings of strange creatures--sasquatches and sea monsters--the townsfolk and local media begin to take notice. Facebook pages go up, and letters are even sent to David Suzuki and the Canadian Prime Minister (both of whom eventually visit the little seaside town).
Author Vernon spends just the right amount of time describing the construction, early voyages of, and problems with the "sea monster", an altered dory covered in an ancient moose skin. Ultimately the many sightings (always in early morning fog) lead to the inauguration of the Fogopogo Festival, which brings many tourists to town. On the day of the festival, however, much goes wrong, and Roland comes to understand that one cannot resist change. As Granddad Angus has said: "it is impossible to sit still for very long, at least as long as you're sitting upon this planet. Life has a strong current that will pull you forward into ever deeper water no matter how hard you try to say in one place." (104) He ultimately recognizes, too, the value in his mother's statement that "Canada is such a big, wide country" with "so much to see. I'd like to see a little more of it before I need bifocals."
Vernon's book is generally well-paced and easy to read. It is ideally suited to a grade 4-7 audience. It is humorous and atmospheric, with a cast of quirky maritime characters. It is unfortunate that a little more care wasn't taken with the title and the cover. I'm not entirely certain what the author meant for us to take away from the first part of the title (the "Sinking Deeper" part). As for the cover: while the blue-ish background photo of a small fishing village is attractive, the sea monster figured in front of it needed to be more dramatically rendered. As well, a bolder, less-amateurish font for the title would also improve the appearance. The importance of good cover art should not be underestimated when it comes to drawing potential kid readers to a book.
The premise of this book is somewhat similar to that of Andreas Oertel's first book in the Archeolojesters series, in which a group of kids plants a fake Ancient Egyptian artefact in the mudbanks of a local river to bring tourists back to a town which is dying, thus ensuring that the friends' parents will stay employed and the kids can stay on and grow up there. The resolution of the Oertel's book, however, is quite a bit lighter than Vernon's. Even so, Sinking Deeper is fairly well written and is a fun way to spend an afternoon. It deserves to be read

[Janet Sketchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fourteen-year-old Roland lives in the dying seaside town of Deeper Harbour, Nova Scotia. His parents have separated, and when he's with his police-chief father, he sleeps at the jail while his dad does night patrol.

Except when his grandfather convinces him to sneak out for some prank-type vandalism. That's how the story opens, and lest parents be concerned, there are consequences and restitution. There's also, through a madcap series of events, the inspiration of how to revitalize the town's tourist industry so Roland's mom won't make him move to Ottawa in search of a better future.

Roland, along with Grandpa Angus, 15-year-old Dulsie, and her father Warren, will create a sea monster. And they do—through spreading rumours and building an actual "Fogopogo" for the townspeople's "sightings".

The story is told in the first person with evocative descriptions like this one:

I ... squoodged the sleep-sand out of my eyeballs with the sides of my fists. (p. 3)

And observations like this one:

The idea that had been sneaking around the basement of my imagination jumped up and smacked me directly between the eyes. (p. 30)

This is a fun novel, heartwarming in places, and with plenty of humour. It also has plenty of depth, which, sadly, makes for a more realistic ending than I'd hoped. But the characters are delightful, and Roland discovers new layers to these people he's grown up with and thinks he knows.

I heartily recommend Sinking Deeper for young adult readers and adults who are still in touch with their 12-to-14-year-old selves. Sinking Deeper was nominated for the Silver Birch and Hackmatack Awards.

Steve Vernon is the author of four collections of Maritime ghost stories, the children's picture book Maritime Monsters, and more. You can learn more about Steve Vernon at his blog and on Facebook.

[Review copy won from Polilla Writes.]

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roland knew he had it in for him when his grandfather, Angus, and his best friend, Dulsie, broke him out of jail. His dad is the chief of police (and the only policeman in town) and had made Roland sleep there on his 14th birthday so he could keep an eye on him. Well, Angus, Dulsie, and Roland go and cut down a lady’s ugly laundry pole so they could throw it across town like a caber (Angus is Scottish). Roland’s Mom, the mayor, decides that this is the last straw and decides to move to Ottawa with Roland. Roland, wanting to stay, thinks up a great plan to keep business blooming in the small town of Deeper Harbor – to create a sea monster! Which seems like an awesome idea… at first.

I really like the uniqueness and quirkiness of this book. I like how they build the sea monster. It was pretty cool. I really like Angus. He’s a cool, kilt-wearing, adventurous old guy. :) The characters in the book were just awesome! I would love to live in Deeper Harbor! The story and setting were great, although, I didn’t really like the ending mostly because it was kind of sad and I like happy endings. The ending made it feel like the whole adventure was for nothing. This book is definitely going on my bookshelf because I am sure I will read it again. I think kids 10+ would enjoy this book!

**NOTE I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Dawn Vanniman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The story takes place in Deeper Harbour, a town in Nova Scotia. For those geographically challenged, that's in Canada.

Fourteen year old Roland MacTavish lives there with his separated parents: his dad is the police chief and his mom is the mayor. Must make for interesting town meetings, eh?

Roland's best friends are his grandfather, Angus and Dulsie, a girl that paints tattoos on every day. Angus is hilarious with his sayings and hi-jinks. He's one of the best parts of the book. Dulsie has her own style and attitude. Roland treats her with affection tinged with embarrassment...kind of like a little sister.

When Roland finds out that his mom is moving him to a bigger town, he develops an idea to attract tourists to the dying town. Roland is a great character. He comes across like a fourteen year old boy - he's cocky, sarcastic, nervous...all the right things.

The plot is funny and touching. I love that Roland wants to stay badly enough to invent a sea monster!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Sinking Deeper" is a sweet book that just possibly tries too hard. Steve Vernon appears to be no stranger to wordplay and humor and he takes the hyperbole and teenage sarcasm a step beyond reality in this YA offering - and it seems that everything is a simile in Deeper Harbour. Funnily though, Deeper Harbour is a nice idea for a book. Upon finding out that the school is closing in his tiny Nova Scotia seacoast town, and his parents' divorce is truly final and that his mother is debunking for a new position in Ottawa (taking him along), Roland Diefenbaker MacTavish gets the radical idea that he might be able to save the marriage, the school, the town by inventing a sea monster. However, things get out of hand, and so goes the story. With a touch more sensitivity, this book could have worked more successfully as there is a relationship between Roland and his grandfather which is what is really the heart and soul of this book.

[Danielleacorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I personally thought this book was really wierd. In the begging this book was confusing,first he was telling a story about being in jail then someone throws a book throght the window? It was hard to follow some times I just had to put it down and read the hunger games. I didnt really like the grandpas character because he did weird things and to me he was annoying. Also some of the things he did and said were hard to understand and some times they just didnt make any sents at all. Dulsie`s character was also really weird. She was weird because she was not allowed to get a tatto until she is older so she painted her face as somthing new every day and called them her "me tattos". Her dad waren was really weird to because he collects stamps. Youn would think he collects stuff from the army or somthing.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steve Vernon does have a story to tell. It's original and it hangs together well. The creation of a sea monster to solve Roland's problems, and the problems of the town of Deeper Harbour, is a clever idea, and fourteen-year-old Roland's use of technology to create a buzz is fun to watch. However, the beginning of the book nearly drove me mad. The author crams five images into every bloated forty-word sentence and dresses his characters up in so many layers of weird that you can't see the story for the excess. Get this man an editor! (The writing calms down as the story progresses, but for me it was too little too late. I was still shaking from the assault of the opening chapters.)

[Steve Vernon]

I'm not going to review this book - I already wrote it. But I did want folks to know that SINKING DEEPER: OR MY QUESTIONABLE (POSSIBLY HEROIC) DECISION TO INVENT A SEA MONSTER is now available in Kobo format.

So - for all of those folks who are looking for fun fast read - I recommend this little yarn whole-heartedly.

(of course, I might be somewhat biased...

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. Some parts were good and some parts were boring. The part I thought was good was when they were building the sea monster. The ending was really sad too. Also, the chapters were really short which made it easier for me to finish.

[Lucas Lucky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a really book because it had lot of descriptive words. It was a really slow book at the start. I would recomend this to a lot of people as long as they dont get discouraged because it starts of slow. I would still tell people to read this though.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because It had lots of different things happening. I thought i got better after the 2 part because in the first part they only steal a clothes line and It is very confusing. Right when the second part comes It is way better. I think It is a good book It can possibly get my vote.

[Rachel Seigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute and easy-read that reminded me a bit of "Archeologesters" which was popular with the same age group a few years ago. Didn't excite me particularly, but boys will enjoy it.