Lobster Boy

by Rodman Philbrick

12-year-old Samuel 'Skiff' Beaman is a boy with incredible determination in the face of adversity. Since the death of his mother, his father has sunk into an alcoholic depression, and now Skiff's pride and joy, their boat the Mary Rose has sunk too. If only he can raise and fix Rose, Skiff is sure he'll be able to get the family business, and his dad, back on track. But to fix the boat he needs $5000. With his father penniless and hopeless, Skiff is determined to raise the money himself-by going out on the open ocean all alone, on a dangerous mission to harpoon a prize giant tuna.

Genres: Book Club

Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Aka William R Dantz, Chris Jordan, W.R. Philbrick.

Rodman Philbrick grew up on the New England coast, where he worked as a longshoreman and boat builder. For many years he wrote mysteries and detective novels. The Private Eye Writers of America nominated two of his T.D.Stash series as best detective novel and then selected Philbrick's 'Brothers & Sinners' as Best Novel in 1993. Writing under the pen name 'William R. Dantz' he has explored the near-future worlds of genetic engineering and hi-tech brain control in books like 'Hunger', 'Pulse', 'The Seventh Sleeper'. And 'Nine Levels Down'.

Inspired by the life of a boy who lived a few blocks away, he wrote 'Freak The Mighty', the award-winning young-adult novel, which has been translated into numerous languages and is now read in schools throughout the world. The book was adapted to the screen in 1998 as 'The Mighty', starring Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, James Gandolfini, Kieran Culkin, and Elden Henson.

Philbrick, a screenwriter as well as a novelist, is the author of a number of novels for young readers, including 'The Fire Pony', 'Max the Mighty', 'REM World', 'The Last Book In The Universe', 'The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds' and 'The Young Man And The Sea'. His recent novels for adults include 'Dark Matter', 'Coffins', and 'Taken'. He and his wife divide their time between Maine and the Florida Keys.

Reviews

[Marley Mahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this book but I liked it more and more as the book went on. I would've liked to see a little bit more in the book like a love triangle or something that would make it that bit more interesting but I still enjoyed it nonetheless

[Amelie Place · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exciting and thrilling!An enjoyable read!

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rodman Philbrick's characters pull at your heartstrings. A previous novel of his, Freak the Mighty, would be a great read for young (and older) readers who are looking for another reading experience like Wonder by Palacio - deeply moving and inspiring. Similarly, Lobster Boy is an inspiring, touching tale of 12 year old Skiff Bearman, whose mother has recently died and his fisherman father has retreated into an alcoholic haze. Skiff finds that he needs to be man enough to carry himself and his father through the troubles they are in. Somehow, with help from old friends of his father's, Skiff powers through adversity and despair, with his mother's words ever present: 'Never Give Up'. The first-person narrative, and you share Skiff's thoughts and his life, is very powerful, and this is one of those page-turning books - y0u can't stop reading it.
I can't wait to read more of Rodman Philbrick's novels; and I recommend his books to any child/teen/adult who has enjoyed the books and style of Sharon Creech, Mark Twain, Louis Sachar, Karen Hesse and Gary Paulsen.

At the end, there is a very interesting 'Conversation' and 'About the Author' that reveals the book was partly inspired by Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, so this is another recommendation for those who want more books like Lobster Boy. Possibly Tim Winton's Blue Back could also be another good read after Lobster Boy.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skiff Beaman takes on the world single-handedly, well almost! A life-affirming tale of a young boy trying to come to terms with the death of his mother, and cope with a father who has turned his back on life and drowning his sorrows with alcohol. Their fishing boat has sunk and needs money for repairs, and Skiff hatches on a plan to make money.......... lots of it. Suffice to say that things do not go to plan. Skiff's long journey out to sea is harrowing and full of adventure. A fast-paced read, completed in one sitting, but will stay with me for a long time.

[Mr_Tuckerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

...or, the young man and the sea.

I like the underdog that Phillbrick writes in his books. Lots of technical stuff about boat building and fishing which might limit its audience.

[Felipe Echandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lobster Boy is a book about a 12 year old kid. His boat sinks when he is at school and his father doesn’t care. He knows an old man that lives nearby that can show him how to repair the boat it is really hard .Skiff, the boy ask help from the man so the man teaches him and helps him. When they finish repairing the boat the man says that the motor doesn’t work so it will be very expensive to repair it. Skiff doesn’t have the money but he has an idea of how to get it. First he catches and sells lobster with a smaller boat. Skiff made lots of money like that but then somebody starts steeling his traps. Since he doesn’t know who is the robber he decides to catch a blue fin tuna. Skiff only needs one because they are really valuable. The next day Skiff decides to go fishing and when he is in the sea he sees a blue fin tuna. When he gets nearby the tuna goes away. All of a sudden another one jumps in front of Skiff and he gets it. When he gets home nobody could believe that he had caught it. With the money he got he could buy a new motor and repair his old.

[Aidan · Rating 5 out of 5]

With his mother long gone and buried and his father, a drunk, who hasn't gotten off the couch for several months, Samuels boat sinks and without is he will have no chance to have his father quit drinking and make a income to support the two of them. Samuel finds a solution, and goes out in his skiff and baits enough lobster traps to make enough money for a new boat. The next day later all of Samuels lines were cut and he has suspicions about Tyler Croft, a spoiled rich jerk who has hated him for years. Samuel goes on to going out in a eight foot skiff twenty miles from shore so he could catch a thousand dollar fish like the one he heard about in the news so he could buy the boat. Samuel catches the fish after several encounters and is stranded in the ocean with no food or water. Soon his father comes and rescues his son from the jaws of death in a thousand dollar boat that was Tyler Croft's father who felt bad about his son cutting the lines. Samuel may have been on a scary ride but he got enough money from the fish that he and his recovering father could buy a new boat.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They say a thing that's broke can always be fixed, if you work at it. And that's what I intend to do, no matter what."

"Makes you never want to wake up, but in the end you got no choice, that's the way it works in this world. You got to wake up, or disappear."

"Blood is blood, and you got to keep together with your family, even if they mess up. Friends, too."

Soundtrack: I'm Just A Kid by Simple Plan

[Hind Shami]

AMAZING

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING
i loved this book
it is about a boy named skiff and his dad does not care about him