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Going Lobstering
One beautiful day at the beach, Linda and Erik see a lobsterman pulling up traps.
Linda and Erik are curious about how he catches lobsters. They ask their father about it and he takes them down to the pier to meet his friend, Big Joe, the lobsterman. Big Joe invites them to come along with him for the day to find out all about it.
Join Linda and Erik on their first lobstering expedition. It is an exciting and informative adventure at sea, where they learn about the age-old trade of lobstering and encounter a variety of sea life -- including an uninvited shark!
Linda and Erik are curious about how he catches lobsters. They ask their father about it and he takes them down to the pier to meet his friend, Big Joe, the lobsterman. Big Joe invites them to come along with him for the day to find out all about it.
Join Linda and Erik on their first lobstering expedition. It is an exciting and informative adventure at sea, where they learn about the age-old trade of lobstering and encounter a variety of sea life -- including an uninvited shark!
32 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1990
20 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Pallotta
240 books112 followersMy full name is Gerard Larry Pallotta but my mom always called me "Jerry". I was born on March 26, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. My mom's name is Mary, and she came from a family of ten children. My dad's name is Joe, and he came from a family of five children. My grandparents were immigrants of Italian descent. I have the nicest parents in the world. They have always been unselfish and ready to help me, even today. I have four brothers and two sisters: Joey, David, Andrew, Danny, Cindy and Mickey. I have seventy-two first cousins. When I was growing up, there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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September 10, 2020Summary: This picture book is a simple but very informative book about the life of someone who goes lobstering. It is about two kids who are curios about how a person would go about trying to get lobsters until one they are asked by a man called Big Joe to go with him on his boat to learn everything he knows about lobstering. The words may be simple and easy to follow but the pictures are a great way to add more detail and life into the small book. Through the pictures you are able to get greater detail than you would have in just reading about. From a closer look to the traps but to a lobster itself.
Personal Thoughts: I personally wasn't too excited about reading this book because how easy it was to read. The thing I liked most about this book is the pictures within the book. I feel like it gave the book a little something that made me like the book than I would have if there were no pictures at all in the book.
How I Will Use: I'm not too sure how I would use this book. If my school was having like a week about ocean like my school did when I was young this is a good way to get kids interest in the week. Even if the words aren't all the interesting to me they will love it more because they can match the words to the pictures and understand everything more quickly.
Personal Thoughts: I personally wasn't too excited about reading this book because how easy it was to read. The thing I liked most about this book is the pictures within the book. I feel like it gave the book a little something that made me like the book than I would have if there were no pictures at all in the book.
How I Will Use: I'm not too sure how I would use this book. If my school was having like a week about ocean like my school did when I was young this is a good way to get kids interest in the week. Even if the words aren't all the interesting to me they will love it more because they can match the words to the pictures and understand everything more quickly.
February 25, 2020
Lots of interesting things to learn in this book about lobstering. However lobsters don’t “bite” with their claws. I know people say that and get what they mean, but in an informative book I think using pinch would’ve been more appropriate.
November 7, 2022
My kids still recite various lines from this book more than a decade later…good memories!
July 24, 2025
Fun! I learned some things about lobstering. Interesting combination of photo realistic and illustration style.
May 16, 2011
Because we like Construction Alphabet so much I decided to try some other Pallotta books. This is a neat enough board book. It includes a detailed picture of a lobster trap and other fun 'facts'. Furthermore it is a book about lobstering - fun, right? Still, I just can't get over the computer-generated looking graphics. Doesn't seem to be a problem for kido who wants to read this over and over!
Also, I just noticed the description of the book talks about 'life and challenges of survival'. That does not sound like this book.
Also, I just noticed the description of the book talks about 'life and challenges of survival'. That does not sound like this book.
November 29, 2011
My grandsons love this book and so do I.
August 22, 2012
This book explains the process of lobstering. It would be a good book to read if talking about the ocean or east coast.
September 10, 2012
pictures looked real at first, I was so surprised
October 8, 2014
Situate, MA, one of Charlotte's favorite.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews