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The Big Dig
Just as fourteen-year-old Lucy is starting to figure out life after her mom's death, her dad ships her off to Cape John, her mom's hometown, for the summer. Worse, she has to live with her nutty great-aunt Josie, who doesn't cook edible food or suffer fools. Soon Lucy meets Colin, freshly moved from the West Coast, who's digging an enormous hole in his new yard. He spends every day digging deeper in protest of his family's unilateral decision to move to this tiny oceanside community. As Colin digs in the ground, Lucy digs through her family's history, and eventually both of them uncover a shocking truth.
The Big Dig asks big questions of its readers: Are secrets ever okay? What defines a family? And can we ever really know our parents? Lisa Harrington's light and funny voice blends seamlessly with Lucy's grief, creating an authentic and riveting emotional landscape.
- GenresYoung Adult
248 pages, Paperback
Published May 31, 2019
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 23, 2019
For a YA book, The Big Dig is quite long and drawn out. I don't picture it holding a young reader's interest. There's no real adventure to be had, just a big family secret that all the adults are keeping from the kids.
May 31, 2020
My son and I read this book together, with me enjoying it more than he did, so we averaged our rating. Since the book was based in the 70s there were several references that had to be explained to him, things that were definitely before his time. He may also have enjoyed the book more if he had been older when we read it- say 14 or older. We did like the fact that it was based in Nova Scotia with familiar places and sights.
April 10, 2025
Goodreads Reading Reviews:
Choosing a Book:
My book for this reading review is called The Big Dig. The story of this book is located in Nova Scotia! That made it very appealing to me because I had never read a book that was situated in NS. While I was reading this book it was also cool because I could relate very well to what she was describing. One of many examples was when she described Lucy and her father driving over the Macdonald bridge and being able to see the MacKay across the stretch of water. I also decided to read this book because the librarian recommended it to me, even though she said she hadn't read it. I'm very happy she did though because so far it has been the perfect book for me.
Determining:
Question- Who are the main character(s) involved in the story so far? Briefly describe the/each character in a paragraph and try to determine their motivations.
The main character in this book is named Lucy Tapper. She is fourteen years old and she goes to school in Nova Scotia. She lives with her dad who works late so she has to make dinner, do laundry, clean, ect. So far in this book (13 pages) we know that Lucy's mom died very recently(weeks ago). Now her grandma just died and she is going to her funeral. She likes to babysit kids. In the story she babysat Sadie, whose fish died. Sadie asked Lucy some questions about her mom and she couldn't answer. She got very teary which tells us she definitely hasn’t finished grieving about her mom.
Predicting:
Question- What does the main character want or need? What will get in the way of that? How will the character overcome the problem?
I am about 30 pages into my book. A couple pages back, Lucy's dad told her his plans for her this summer. Her dad is going to be very busy with his 2 new special cases. She is going to one of her dead moms sisters' houses for the summer. Her aunt lives in the middle of nowhere in Cape Breton. One day, Lucy heard her dad on the phone with someone named Scotty and they were talking about her. She did not know who it was. Lucy has been giving her dad the silent treatment because she didn’t want to go to her aunt's house. I reached the part when she was packing her things to leave. I predict that she is going to do some snooping around and she is going to find out what she can about Scotty. I also think that she is going to run away from her aunt's house because she really doesn't want to be there. Or maybe she will love it there and she will forgive her dad and make a very strong connection with the aunt.
Connecting:
Question- Does the story take place somewhere that you can relate to? Describe the place that is meaningful to you, and then describe the setting in the book that relates to it. How are they similar?
Lucy and her dad live in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is going to Sydney to spend the summer with her deaf aunt. They mention driving over the Macdonald bridge and staying at a motel in Port Hawkesbury on the way there. I can connect to these places because I live in Halifax. I drive over the Macdonald bridge every second day because I take the bus to school from my moms house and she lives in dartmouth. Next, I can relate to Sydney because my great grandmother used to live there and we would visit her and stay at her cottage.
Inferring:
Question-What is the message, theme, or big idea of the story? Describe the theme, and then describe some things in the book that are working to make you think that way.
(DIFFERENT BOOK!!!) Today I am reading a french book for a french project called Le Secret du Colibri or in english it is called… The Secret of the Colibri(type of bird). The book is about a girl named Jessica. Jessica is a girl in high school, has always had anger issues and her girlfriend just died. The start of the book is mostly about her grieving, pretty much giving up on life and being moved to a school for troubled youth because of a fight she started. I think the themes of this book are probably grief and self discovery because of the above.
Visualizing:
Question-Describe a scene in the book where a sensory image is used. What sense does the author appeal to? How does the sensory image work to give the reader a better sense of the characters?
“The pillow made a crunchy sound- feathers. Why hadn’t she brought her own? And the pillowcase was stiff and scratchy against her skin. Everything smelled like mothballs.”
Smell: “smelled like mothballs”
Hear: “crunchy sound- feathers”
Feel: “pillowcase was stiff and scratchy against her skin”
This scene gives the reader a better sense of the character because she is complaining about a bad pillow. Complaining a lot can mean that a person is in a bad mood. Lucy is in a bad mood because she was dropped off at her aunt's house that she doesn't want to be at. Complaining is also a way people can regulate their emotions, that is what I assume Lucy is doing. We can also make a theory based on these sentences that maybe Lucy is an easily irritable/sensitive/high-maintenance/picky person.
Summarizing:
Question-Please provide a detailed summary of the last full chapter you read for the weekly Goodreads book review. You may also choose a specific section of the book, or everything you’ve read to date.
In the last chapter Lucy was staying at her deaf aunt Jossie’s house in cape breton. Lucy has been mostly staying inside and listening to music, making art, reading books or helping Jossie with chores around the house. Once in a while she glances out her window to admire the long dirt road connecting all the old colorfully painted houses and she always seems to see Colin digging his protest holes. Colin seems to have eyes in the back of his head because every single time Lucy is creeping on him from her window he glances up and catches her in the act. One day while Lucy is walking down the dirt road to the beach she bumps into Colin. They chat for a while and then the next day she brings him a glass of kool-aid, then also the next, and the next and the following day, until it becomes a routine. Suddenly he doesn't show up….
Questioning:
Question-If there is a historical component to the story, do you think it is accurate? Do you feel like the author has done their research? What are the details that make you think this?
The historical component to the story is one that felt maybe a year ago, nevertheless, ended in Canada the year 2022, this component was the covid 19 pandemic. This author, Katherine Marsh, decided to have this book written about the lives of people during Covid. I think that Katherine definitely did her research because she features many situations from the covid times I remember myself such as, online schooling, bingeing movies, the six feet rule, masks, email/call your friends, ordering groceries online, and quarantining in a basement for a whole week. This short story was an enjoyable read. From this book I got to relive the traumatic, and lonely days of the Covid 19 pandemic, yay.
Analyzing:
Question- Are there any flashbacks or flash-forwards? Describe them and explain how specific details affect how the story will unfold.
While Colin, Lucy's new friend, was explaining his situation about how he is digging holes to protest moving to Cape Breton and missing his dad who had not moved with them he mentions Lucy's dead mom and how he was at her funeral. At that moment, Lucy had a flashback to the funeral. She was wearing her long navy dress and seeing all these people she's never seen before, many approaching her to comfort her. She described the event as confusing. She tried to blend in, not to be seen by anyone. She didn't end up staying for the whole funeral because her dad couldn't make it and she would “rather be in the library surrounded by books”. The details in this flashback make it clear why Lucy had not seen Colin at the funeral and it also tells the reader about Lucys dads priorities, skipping his wife's funeral for work.
Synthesizing:
Question- Go back and revisit the predictions you made. How accurate were these predictions? In what was were you successful and it what ways did you miss the mark?
At the moment Lucy is at her aunt's house and is liking it, she made a new friend named Colin after her aunt forced her to introduce herself. While she was getting to know him, she found out that Colin's mom used to know her mom! She is also developing a better relationship with her aunt and spends her days with Colin or on the beach collecting sea glass and watching the waves. She calls her dad regularly and she couldn't help but drop the silent treatment. In a way, one of my predictions was right. She did end up forgiving her dad and did strengthen her bond with her aunt but they still are not that close.
Reflecting:
Question-Describe your favourite or least-favourite scene(s) of the book. Why did you choose that/those scene(s)?
In the two chapters I just read, I had two favorite scenes. I liked them both because I can relate personally to both of these scenes. The first scene I chose was when the main character and her aunt go walking around the beach looking for sea glass. The main character mentioned the types of seaweed she sees on the beach and I know exactly what she was talking about. Lucy said she “remembered asking her mom if they were giant lasagna noodles”. I see these all the time at the beach and I've had the same thoughts. In the other scene she was talking about how cool blue seaglass was and how it made her think of her dead mother and it reminded me of how cool it was when I found my first piece of blue sea glass walking down the Point Pleasant beach with my parents. Those were my favorite scenes because they were linked with fun childhood memories.
Critiquing:
Question-If you would recommend this book, what type of reader would you recommend it to? What are the main elements of this book that would make it interesting for others to read?
I am about halfway through my book. The Big Dig by Lisa Harrington is a young adult novel aimed at readers ages of 13 to 17. The story follows 14 year old Lucy, who spends the summer in her dead mother's hometown with her deaf aunt Jossie. The story addresses complex questions about family dynamics and personal identity, making it appealing to teens and adults interested in realistic stories with mature emotional themes. Also, an added bonus is that it is located in Nova Scotia!
Choosing a Book:
My book for this reading review is called The Big Dig. The story of this book is located in Nova Scotia! That made it very appealing to me because I had never read a book that was situated in NS. While I was reading this book it was also cool because I could relate very well to what she was describing. One of many examples was when she described Lucy and her father driving over the Macdonald bridge and being able to see the MacKay across the stretch of water. I also decided to read this book because the librarian recommended it to me, even though she said she hadn't read it. I'm very happy she did though because so far it has been the perfect book for me.
Determining:
Question- Who are the main character(s) involved in the story so far? Briefly describe the/each character in a paragraph and try to determine their motivations.
The main character in this book is named Lucy Tapper. She is fourteen years old and she goes to school in Nova Scotia. She lives with her dad who works late so she has to make dinner, do laundry, clean, ect. So far in this book (13 pages) we know that Lucy's mom died very recently(weeks ago). Now her grandma just died and she is going to her funeral. She likes to babysit kids. In the story she babysat Sadie, whose fish died. Sadie asked Lucy some questions about her mom and she couldn't answer. She got very teary which tells us she definitely hasn’t finished grieving about her mom.
Predicting:
Question- What does the main character want or need? What will get in the way of that? How will the character overcome the problem?
I am about 30 pages into my book. A couple pages back, Lucy's dad told her his plans for her this summer. Her dad is going to be very busy with his 2 new special cases. She is going to one of her dead moms sisters' houses for the summer. Her aunt lives in the middle of nowhere in Cape Breton. One day, Lucy heard her dad on the phone with someone named Scotty and they were talking about her. She did not know who it was. Lucy has been giving her dad the silent treatment because she didn’t want to go to her aunt's house. I reached the part when she was packing her things to leave. I predict that she is going to do some snooping around and she is going to find out what she can about Scotty. I also think that she is going to run away from her aunt's house because she really doesn't want to be there. Or maybe she will love it there and she will forgive her dad and make a very strong connection with the aunt.
Connecting:
Question- Does the story take place somewhere that you can relate to? Describe the place that is meaningful to you, and then describe the setting in the book that relates to it. How are they similar?
Lucy and her dad live in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is going to Sydney to spend the summer with her deaf aunt. They mention driving over the Macdonald bridge and staying at a motel in Port Hawkesbury on the way there. I can connect to these places because I live in Halifax. I drive over the Macdonald bridge every second day because I take the bus to school from my moms house and she lives in dartmouth. Next, I can relate to Sydney because my great grandmother used to live there and we would visit her and stay at her cottage.
Inferring:
Question-What is the message, theme, or big idea of the story? Describe the theme, and then describe some things in the book that are working to make you think that way.
(DIFFERENT BOOK!!!) Today I am reading a french book for a french project called Le Secret du Colibri or in english it is called… The Secret of the Colibri(type of bird). The book is about a girl named Jessica. Jessica is a girl in high school, has always had anger issues and her girlfriend just died. The start of the book is mostly about her grieving, pretty much giving up on life and being moved to a school for troubled youth because of a fight she started. I think the themes of this book are probably grief and self discovery because of the above.
Visualizing:
Question-Describe a scene in the book where a sensory image is used. What sense does the author appeal to? How does the sensory image work to give the reader a better sense of the characters?
“The pillow made a crunchy sound- feathers. Why hadn’t she brought her own? And the pillowcase was stiff and scratchy against her skin. Everything smelled like mothballs.”
Smell: “smelled like mothballs”
Hear: “crunchy sound- feathers”
Feel: “pillowcase was stiff and scratchy against her skin”
This scene gives the reader a better sense of the character because she is complaining about a bad pillow. Complaining a lot can mean that a person is in a bad mood. Lucy is in a bad mood because she was dropped off at her aunt's house that she doesn't want to be at. Complaining is also a way people can regulate their emotions, that is what I assume Lucy is doing. We can also make a theory based on these sentences that maybe Lucy is an easily irritable/sensitive/high-maintenance/picky person.
Summarizing:
Question-Please provide a detailed summary of the last full chapter you read for the weekly Goodreads book review. You may also choose a specific section of the book, or everything you’ve read to date.
In the last chapter Lucy was staying at her deaf aunt Jossie’s house in cape breton. Lucy has been mostly staying inside and listening to music, making art, reading books or helping Jossie with chores around the house. Once in a while she glances out her window to admire the long dirt road connecting all the old colorfully painted houses and she always seems to see Colin digging his protest holes. Colin seems to have eyes in the back of his head because every single time Lucy is creeping on him from her window he glances up and catches her in the act. One day while Lucy is walking down the dirt road to the beach she bumps into Colin. They chat for a while and then the next day she brings him a glass of kool-aid, then also the next, and the next and the following day, until it becomes a routine. Suddenly he doesn't show up….
Questioning:
Question-If there is a historical component to the story, do you think it is accurate? Do you feel like the author has done their research? What are the details that make you think this?
The historical component to the story is one that felt maybe a year ago, nevertheless, ended in Canada the year 2022, this component was the covid 19 pandemic. This author, Katherine Marsh, decided to have this book written about the lives of people during Covid. I think that Katherine definitely did her research because she features many situations from the covid times I remember myself such as, online schooling, bingeing movies, the six feet rule, masks, email/call your friends, ordering groceries online, and quarantining in a basement for a whole week. This short story was an enjoyable read. From this book I got to relive the traumatic, and lonely days of the Covid 19 pandemic, yay.
Analyzing:
Question- Are there any flashbacks or flash-forwards? Describe them and explain how specific details affect how the story will unfold.
While Colin, Lucy's new friend, was explaining his situation about how he is digging holes to protest moving to Cape Breton and missing his dad who had not moved with them he mentions Lucy's dead mom and how he was at her funeral. At that moment, Lucy had a flashback to the funeral. She was wearing her long navy dress and seeing all these people she's never seen before, many approaching her to comfort her. She described the event as confusing. She tried to blend in, not to be seen by anyone. She didn't end up staying for the whole funeral because her dad couldn't make it and she would “rather be in the library surrounded by books”. The details in this flashback make it clear why Lucy had not seen Colin at the funeral and it also tells the reader about Lucys dads priorities, skipping his wife's funeral for work.
Synthesizing:
Question- Go back and revisit the predictions you made. How accurate were these predictions? In what was were you successful and it what ways did you miss the mark?
At the moment Lucy is at her aunt's house and is liking it, she made a new friend named Colin after her aunt forced her to introduce herself. While she was getting to know him, she found out that Colin's mom used to know her mom! She is also developing a better relationship with her aunt and spends her days with Colin or on the beach collecting sea glass and watching the waves. She calls her dad regularly and she couldn't help but drop the silent treatment. In a way, one of my predictions was right. She did end up forgiving her dad and did strengthen her bond with her aunt but they still are not that close.
Reflecting:
Question-Describe your favourite or least-favourite scene(s) of the book. Why did you choose that/those scene(s)?
In the two chapters I just read, I had two favorite scenes. I liked them both because I can relate personally to both of these scenes. The first scene I chose was when the main character and her aunt go walking around the beach looking for sea glass. The main character mentioned the types of seaweed she sees on the beach and I know exactly what she was talking about. Lucy said she “remembered asking her mom if they were giant lasagna noodles”. I see these all the time at the beach and I've had the same thoughts. In the other scene she was talking about how cool blue seaglass was and how it made her think of her dead mother and it reminded me of how cool it was when I found my first piece of blue sea glass walking down the Point Pleasant beach with my parents. Those were my favorite scenes because they were linked with fun childhood memories.
Critiquing:
Question-If you would recommend this book, what type of reader would you recommend it to? What are the main elements of this book that would make it interesting for others to read?
I am about halfway through my book. The Big Dig by Lisa Harrington is a young adult novel aimed at readers ages of 13 to 17. The story follows 14 year old Lucy, who spends the summer in her dead mother's hometown with her deaf aunt Jossie. The story addresses complex questions about family dynamics and personal identity, making it appealing to teens and adults interested in realistic stories with mature emotional themes. Also, an added bonus is that it is located in Nova Scotia!
January 11, 2023
**Sponsored by Digitally Lit** I thoroughly enjoyed this. The pop culture references were a hit and the writing was witty. This is my favourite book I’ve read with Digitally Lit so far!
Digitally Lit is a youth engagement strategy aimed at bridging literary and digital practices with Atlantic Canadian youth. Follow us on Instagram @digitally_lit, like us on Facebook and find us at digitallylit.ca.
Digitally Lit is a youth engagement strategy aimed at bridging literary and digital practices with Atlantic Canadian youth. Follow us on Instagram @digitally_lit, like us on Facebook and find us at digitallylit.ca.
May 29, 2019
I wish this had been available to me when I was a teenager, as it is exactly the kind of mystery that would have caught my attention!
October 2, 2020
Yay Canadian writers! You rock! Um, having said that I need to clarify that I prefer Canadian writers who write about Canadian locations that are recognizably Canadian. I had to look deep into this story to find any references whatsoever to time, setting and local characters, and sadly they were scarce. If I hadn't been told upfront that this story occurred in 1976 and 1977, I would never have guessed it wasn't at least early 2000s, and that only because there are no cell phones. I couldn't find any references to clothing or music or events that would anchor the characters in that time period, and as for setting, we saw a beach and a few boats, but it could have been Cape Cod or the south of France. There were no Nova Scotian turns of phrase, no references that I could find to local foods. If anyone ate fiddleheads or finnan haddie I guess I missed it.
(And saying someone had "passed" would have been a very unusual turn of phrase coming from anyone there. They died. The only time you heard that word used was in June when you found out whether you had "passed" from one grade to the next. It was the opposite of "failed.")
That left the story feeling generic and a little bare around the edges, with more telling than showing and what seemed like colourless conversational info dumping. I was a bit thrown off by details that seemed incongruous and didn't really ring true for me combined with others that described common East Coast family history
I have to be honest and admit I lost interest a fair way along the road and started skipping along to the last section to see what happened.
I'd give this Nova Scotia author a second chance with future books, hoping they'll be a bit less telly and a bit more showy and a whole lot more East Coasty.
(And saying someone had "passed" would have been a very unusual turn of phrase coming from anyone there. They died. The only time you heard that word used was in June when you found out whether you had "passed" from one grade to the next. It was the opposite of "failed.")
That left the story feeling generic and a little bare around the edges, with more telling than showing and what seemed like colourless conversational info dumping. I was a bit thrown off by details that seemed incongruous and didn't really ring true for me combined with others that described common East Coast family history
I have to be honest and admit I lost interest a fair way along the road and started skipping along to the last section to see what happened.
I'd give this Nova Scotia author a second chance with future books, hoping they'll be a bit less telly and a bit more showy and a whole lot more East Coasty.
August 7, 2024
Julia's review:
What a great read! The Big Dig by Lisa Harrington touches on various subjects, such as the loss of a loved one and accepting change. While simultaneously maintaining a witty sense of humour throughout this book! Lucy and Colin- the main characters- navigated an ever-changing world much like ours.
The Big Dig was ✨meticulously✨ crafted, making each page and chapter seamlessly go together. Imagery was frequently used in this book, and having the setting in Novia Scotia increased the familiarity of this novel. I truly only have good things to say!
This novel truly shows Nova Scotia in a sense that I have never read or heard of before. I found that the setting of Nova Scotia really made the story hit closer to home!
Since the book took place in the '70s, many pop culture references that were made were unfamiliar to me. However I found the pop culture references very interesting and added to the story nicely!
If you are looking for an engaging, relatable yet unimaginable story, then I highly recommend The Big Dig by Lisa Harrington!!
Overall this book shows that real friends are hard to come by and that secrets can tear a family apart! I found this book great in so many ways and the story telling was what made it a re read in the future!
I rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
What a great read! The Big Dig by Lisa Harrington touches on various subjects, such as the loss of a loved one and accepting change. While simultaneously maintaining a witty sense of humour throughout this book! Lucy and Colin- the main characters- navigated an ever-changing world much like ours.
The Big Dig was ✨meticulously✨ crafted, making each page and chapter seamlessly go together. Imagery was frequently used in this book, and having the setting in Novia Scotia increased the familiarity of this novel. I truly only have good things to say!
This novel truly shows Nova Scotia in a sense that I have never read or heard of before. I found that the setting of Nova Scotia really made the story hit closer to home!
Since the book took place in the '70s, many pop culture references that were made were unfamiliar to me. However I found the pop culture references very interesting and added to the story nicely!
If you are looking for an engaging, relatable yet unimaginable story, then I highly recommend The Big Dig by Lisa Harrington!!
Overall this book shows that real friends are hard to come by and that secrets can tear a family apart! I found this book great in so many ways and the story telling was what made it a re read in the future!
I rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
February 15, 2020
I loved this book, especially the fact that it was set in 1970's Nova Scotia. It is beautifully written story of loss and a family learning to reconnect. I have already recommended it to my students and added it to my classroom library.
July 8, 2022
Wow! Finished the second half of this in one sitting - aka it was very gripping. Despite this, I knew what the outcome was going to be for a while before it was actually said, although the revelation was still confronting to say the least. Beautifully written and very enjoyable.
September 15, 2024
I liked how every character had their own special personality and I loved how Colin’s protest is just a hole and his mom is perfectly fine with it because he is outside getting exercise. I rate this book a 4/5.
June 22, 2019
I loved the symbolism in this book! It was interesting and heartfelt, and Kit had me laughing throughout the whole thing! Another excellent piece by Lisa Harrington!
July 17, 2019
Loved this! Another great story from Lisa!
March 5, 2020
I loved it. I think that early teens will love it as well. It’s interesting to think of the time before cell phones and unlimited channels. Stuck as a visitor in a small town what would you do?
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews