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Saltwater Boy
Heartfelt and poignant, this coming of age story explores father-son relationships, against a backdrop of small town rivalries, buried truths, with themes of sustainability, preserving the past and environmental care.
When Dad goes to jail, Matthew and his mum move to the coast, so mum – an artist – thinks she can renovate her late father’s old place to sell it to get them back on their feet. Matthew strikes up a friendship with Old Bill, an Indigenous man who becomes a father figure to him, and teaches him how to find and eat pippis, fish (and to make a few dollars from it). Dad gets out on parole and moves back in with the family, but his anger fractures the newfound peace and everything is once again at stake, and in peril.
When Dad goes to jail, Matthew and his mum move to the coast, so mum – an artist – thinks she can renovate her late father’s old place to sell it to get them back on their feet. Matthew strikes up a friendship with Old Bill, an Indigenous man who becomes a father figure to him, and teaches him how to find and eat pippis, fish (and to make a few dollars from it). Dad gets out on parole and moves back in with the family, but his anger fractures the newfound peace and everything is once again at stake, and in peril.
- GenresFriendshipFictionFamily
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2023
14 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 2, 2024
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC! The overall concept of this book is heartfelt. The writing is solid. It has all the elements of a middle grade novel- growing up, family dynamics, friendship.
I couldn’t get into it. It was too slow and some of the conversations seemed staccato-like, rather than a natural conversation.
The boy at his age talking to the birds? Yes, his mom should be concerned.
I couldn’t get into it. It was too slow and some of the conversations seemed staccato-like, rather than a natural conversation.
The boy at his age talking to the birds? Yes, his mom should be concerned.
December 28, 2024
This was a great read, exploring relationships, life, and struggles through a young boy’s experiences. The weaving of struggle, wisdom from an elder and restoration are well done. Plenty of interest, some predictability and yet intense while enjoyable.
December 13, 2022
Beautiful thoughtful writing.
Secrets, family and the environment all touched upon.
Secrets, family and the environment all touched upon.
April 27, 2023
Christmas’ debut YA novel Saltwater Boy packs a punch with pangs of emotion, anger, violence, friendship and family dynamics, all interwoven in a carefully sensitive and powerful text for readers 13 and over. The story focuses on teenage Matthew, whose mum drops the bombshell they have been evicted from their rental, and must leave their familiar little town, and friends, behind. With his Dad in prison, and their relationship strained, Matthew has no real father figures to help or guide him in this tricky adolescent period, and his Mum works so hard as a waitress by day and artist by night that he feels he can’t bother her with his worries and qualms.
Matthew and mum decide to move to the coast, to fix up and then sell their late grandfather’s beach shack – it’s somewhere to live, for now, despite its decrepit condition. The locals are nosy but friendly in this small coastal community and Matthew slowly begins to fit in, and even takes up a father figure friendship with Old Bill, the Indigenous man who lives on the beach beside them. Finally, Matthew and Mum feel at peace, with hope and happiness seeping into their days. Maybe this is the place they’re meant to be – until Dad is released from prison and swarms to his family in the beach shack, bringing his anger and frustration with him, and Matthew worries that their new home of peace and serenity is about to come crashing down.
Bradley Christmas pens a poignant and engaging story, gripping from the word go, with relatable themes of loss, family blues, crisis of identity, and finding one’s place in the world. The prose is searing and raw while still emotive with truth in every word, and every piece of subtext, as well. The characters are well-drawn, verging on real people – and Christmas has finely tuned his dialogue to be astoundingly realistic. The pulsating tension builds and rises consistently through the story, and we the reader are throttled back and forth, round and round, along with Matthew, as we go on the journey of his story. His fraught relationship with his father is a true rollercoaster of tension yet offset nicely by the tender mentorship the boy experiences with Old Bill, who is a calming leading presence in the story. While there are references to domestic violence, it is handled with care, and doesn’t overwhelm the narrative.
All in all, it’s a fine debut, and clearly evident of a bright future for Bradley Christmas. I can’t wait for the next one. Perfect for teen readers.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Brenton Cullen
When Dad goes to jail, Matthew and his mum move to the coast, so mum – an artist – thinks she can renovate her late father’s old place to sell it to get them back on their feet. Matthew strikes up a friendship with Old Bill, an Indigenous man who becomes a father figure to him, and teaches him how to find and eat pipis, fish (and to make a few dollars from it). Dad gets out on parole and moves back in with the family, but his anger fractures the newfound peace, and everything is once again at stake, and in peril.
When Matthew’s dad gets in trouble, he makes trouble for everyone else too. But with Dad in jail, Matthew and his mum have a chance to put the pieces back together. Mum makes plans for a summer down the coast, fixing up Grandpa’s old place in an effort to make ends meet. The beach, the swirling rockpools and the vast ocean offer new perspective and promise. Matthew strikes up a friendship with Bill, an old local who recognises a fellow ‘Saltwater Boy’, and shows him how to find pipis and catch fish, and even make a few dollars from it. Bill becomes the paternal figure that Dad isn’t – wise and patient – but Bill isn’t welcomed in town, and Matthew begins to witness old rivalries, and buried secrets, resurface.
Then Dad gets out on parole, threatening the new life Matthew and Mum have built for themselves, forcing a confrontation with the past … and the truth. In fact, his dad insists on stealing Bill's boat and seeing if they can catch a big fish; but, this seriously risks both of their lives. Matthew manages to save his dad (even though he hates him at the time) and his father has a long road of recovery ahead of him.
~*~
In 1992, twelve-year-old Matthew is at the end of primary school when he and his mother are evicted from their Sydney home and have to head down the coast to his Grandpa’s old house in Crawley’s Point. Matthew is adrift, separated from his best friend Asha in Sydney, and worried about what will happen to them. While he is exploring the beach, Matthew meets an Indigenous man called Old Bill – a man who lives on the edges of society, with a deep, dark secret – the reason he doesn’t come into town, and why he asks Matthew to help him sell the fish that they catch in the club where Matthew’s mother works. For a few weeks, things seem to be okay – Matthew is curious about Old Bill’s past but looks to him for the fatherly advice he needs. That is, until his father comes back and inserts himself into the community, and starts getting to know the people who have become part of Matthew and Mum’s lives – and as a result, starts changing the way they do things, ensuring that it is his way or the highway, and reverting to his old ways that saw him end up in jail. But when Matthew’s dad gets a wild idea in his head that puts him and Matthew in danger, everything will change for Crawley’s Point and the people living there, and the secrets that have ensured people hold onto bitter grudges forever will come to light. Matthew also hates leaving his best friend Asha behind in Sydney, but he has no choice.
Saltwater Boy is a family story about the connections between fathers and sons, land and people, and the way the community comes together but also fractures when tragedy strikes and what type of tragedy, what type of person influences how people react. The backdrop to the novel is 1992, and the Land Rights movement with Eddie Mabo, so Matthew and Old Bill discuss this at one stage and what it means, and how people were interpreting it. This is done with nuance, so that questions can be asked and answered – which worked well, as Matthew is allowed to investigate things and not understand anything, to think about things and come to his own conclusions about things – including how he feels about his father. As a result, the novel is focused on the father-son dynamic, and how a volatile personality can affect how others respond to you, and what it means when you break the rules. This novel shows that there are always consequences and ways of turning your life around, particularly when you discover something about yourself, your past, your family, or the people around you that changes things forever.
Old Bill calls Matthew a ‘Saltwater Boy’ – someone with an affinity with saltwater and sets about teaching him special lessons. In this way, to me, it had echoes of Storm Boy or Blueback – but with more depth, more to the story. Like an expansion on the themes in a new way with new characters, so I think it would sit well with these books, and the three could be read together – because to me it felt like each one offered a unique story about the experience of living in a small coastal town, and the interactions with the land and the people connected to it. In Saltwater Boy, there are more layers to the story with Matthew’s father’s history, with the past of Crawley’s Point and the navigation of the Mabo and Land Rights discussion that show the impact of colonialism and how everyone in Crawley’s Point is part of the town in this story, and part of each other – even if the way they are connected isn’t what they really want.
One thing that I liked about this book was the way the secret was constantly hinted at, and the way it came to light exactly when it needed to, and in the way it needed to. This allowed for the rest of the rising conflicts to flare up, which was needed to drive the novel, to allow characters to explore what they were going through so things could resolve realistically. It is also a novel about change and being on the precipice of change – Matthew and Asha are about to start high school, but Asha is fighting with the expectations of her adoptive parents and a secret she’s kept for so long. Secrets it seems are everywhere in this novel, and I think this is where the power is, because it allows for everyone to have secrets that need to come out – but it is also about how and when they reveal them that makes the novel powerful and I think this will be a book that young adult readers will enjoy, as even though it is set in 1992, it examines the universal themes of family, identity, and growing up that we all go through during our lives, and as a reader, it is these universal themes that make a book special for me, that allow readers to find something to identify with or understand even if there are many other differences that will be specific to other people. It means that these books can be for everyone, which to me is the most important thing about a book – that it can be for anyone when they need it the most.
Matthew and mum decide to move to the coast, to fix up and then sell their late grandfather’s beach shack – it’s somewhere to live, for now, despite its decrepit condition. The locals are nosy but friendly in this small coastal community and Matthew slowly begins to fit in, and even takes up a father figure friendship with Old Bill, the Indigenous man who lives on the beach beside them. Finally, Matthew and Mum feel at peace, with hope and happiness seeping into their days. Maybe this is the place they’re meant to be – until Dad is released from prison and swarms to his family in the beach shack, bringing his anger and frustration with him, and Matthew worries that their new home of peace and serenity is about to come crashing down.
Bradley Christmas pens a poignant and engaging story, gripping from the word go, with relatable themes of loss, family blues, crisis of identity, and finding one’s place in the world. The prose is searing and raw while still emotive with truth in every word, and every piece of subtext, as well. The characters are well-drawn, verging on real people – and Christmas has finely tuned his dialogue to be astoundingly realistic. The pulsating tension builds and rises consistently through the story, and we the reader are throttled back and forth, round and round, along with Matthew, as we go on the journey of his story. His fraught relationship with his father is a true rollercoaster of tension yet offset nicely by the tender mentorship the boy experiences with Old Bill, who is a calming leading presence in the story. While there are references to domestic violence, it is handled with care, and doesn’t overwhelm the narrative.
All in all, it’s a fine debut, and clearly evident of a bright future for Bradley Christmas. I can’t wait for the next one. Perfect for teen readers.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Brenton Cullen
When Dad goes to jail, Matthew and his mum move to the coast, so mum – an artist – thinks she can renovate her late father’s old place to sell it to get them back on their feet. Matthew strikes up a friendship with Old Bill, an Indigenous man who becomes a father figure to him, and teaches him how to find and eat pipis, fish (and to make a few dollars from it). Dad gets out on parole and moves back in with the family, but his anger fractures the newfound peace, and everything is once again at stake, and in peril.
When Matthew’s dad gets in trouble, he makes trouble for everyone else too. But with Dad in jail, Matthew and his mum have a chance to put the pieces back together. Mum makes plans for a summer down the coast, fixing up Grandpa’s old place in an effort to make ends meet. The beach, the swirling rockpools and the vast ocean offer new perspective and promise. Matthew strikes up a friendship with Bill, an old local who recognises a fellow ‘Saltwater Boy’, and shows him how to find pipis and catch fish, and even make a few dollars from it. Bill becomes the paternal figure that Dad isn’t – wise and patient – but Bill isn’t welcomed in town, and Matthew begins to witness old rivalries, and buried secrets, resurface.
Then Dad gets out on parole, threatening the new life Matthew and Mum have built for themselves, forcing a confrontation with the past … and the truth. In fact, his dad insists on stealing Bill's boat and seeing if they can catch a big fish; but, this seriously risks both of their lives. Matthew manages to save his dad (even though he hates him at the time) and his father has a long road of recovery ahead of him.
~*~
In 1992, twelve-year-old Matthew is at the end of primary school when he and his mother are evicted from their Sydney home and have to head down the coast to his Grandpa’s old house in Crawley’s Point. Matthew is adrift, separated from his best friend Asha in Sydney, and worried about what will happen to them. While he is exploring the beach, Matthew meets an Indigenous man called Old Bill – a man who lives on the edges of society, with a deep, dark secret – the reason he doesn’t come into town, and why he asks Matthew to help him sell the fish that they catch in the club where Matthew’s mother works. For a few weeks, things seem to be okay – Matthew is curious about Old Bill’s past but looks to him for the fatherly advice he needs. That is, until his father comes back and inserts himself into the community, and starts getting to know the people who have become part of Matthew and Mum’s lives – and as a result, starts changing the way they do things, ensuring that it is his way or the highway, and reverting to his old ways that saw him end up in jail. But when Matthew’s dad gets a wild idea in his head that puts him and Matthew in danger, everything will change for Crawley’s Point and the people living there, and the secrets that have ensured people hold onto bitter grudges forever will come to light. Matthew also hates leaving his best friend Asha behind in Sydney, but he has no choice.
Saltwater Boy is a family story about the connections between fathers and sons, land and people, and the way the community comes together but also fractures when tragedy strikes and what type of tragedy, what type of person influences how people react. The backdrop to the novel is 1992, and the Land Rights movement with Eddie Mabo, so Matthew and Old Bill discuss this at one stage and what it means, and how people were interpreting it. This is done with nuance, so that questions can be asked and answered – which worked well, as Matthew is allowed to investigate things and not understand anything, to think about things and come to his own conclusions about things – including how he feels about his father. As a result, the novel is focused on the father-son dynamic, and how a volatile personality can affect how others respond to you, and what it means when you break the rules. This novel shows that there are always consequences and ways of turning your life around, particularly when you discover something about yourself, your past, your family, or the people around you that changes things forever.
Old Bill calls Matthew a ‘Saltwater Boy’ – someone with an affinity with saltwater and sets about teaching him special lessons. In this way, to me, it had echoes of Storm Boy or Blueback – but with more depth, more to the story. Like an expansion on the themes in a new way with new characters, so I think it would sit well with these books, and the three could be read together – because to me it felt like each one offered a unique story about the experience of living in a small coastal town, and the interactions with the land and the people connected to it. In Saltwater Boy, there are more layers to the story with Matthew’s father’s history, with the past of Crawley’s Point and the navigation of the Mabo and Land Rights discussion that show the impact of colonialism and how everyone in Crawley’s Point is part of the town in this story, and part of each other – even if the way they are connected isn’t what they really want.
One thing that I liked about this book was the way the secret was constantly hinted at, and the way it came to light exactly when it needed to, and in the way it needed to. This allowed for the rest of the rising conflicts to flare up, which was needed to drive the novel, to allow characters to explore what they were going through so things could resolve realistically. It is also a novel about change and being on the precipice of change – Matthew and Asha are about to start high school, but Asha is fighting with the expectations of her adoptive parents and a secret she’s kept for so long. Secrets it seems are everywhere in this novel, and I think this is where the power is, because it allows for everyone to have secrets that need to come out – but it is also about how and when they reveal them that makes the novel powerful and I think this will be a book that young adult readers will enjoy, as even though it is set in 1992, it examines the universal themes of family, identity, and growing up that we all go through during our lives, and as a reader, it is these universal themes that make a book special for me, that allow readers to find something to identify with or understand even if there are many other differences that will be specific to other people. It means that these books can be for everyone, which to me is the most important thing about a book – that it can be for anyone when they need it the most.
June 3, 2024
***Thank you to the publishers for a copy in exchange for a review***
Saltwater Boy was a wonderful read. Bradley Christmas is an author who has a beautiful writing style and has created characters that felt so real when reading them. He also shows a great respect for younger audiences as he touches upon topics that many children have to deal with and he does so in this book for readers to see themselves in the character without being spoken down to. The topics of family, death, loneliness, relationships, and many other topics are handled with delicacy and done so in a way that I believe young readers will feel seen in Matthew.
Matthew is a wonderful and complex character to follow. He doesn't act like the "perfect" son in the eyes of his family because he deals with many things. I like how he has these struggles because he is responding the way many of us do when caught in situations like this and it is a realistic depiction of how this can affect a child's mentality.
Matthew's relationships that he builds, especially with Bill, are beautiful and at the end it was heartbreaking. Seeing Bill give Matthew so much joy and teach him about fishing was the true highlight of the book and I love how the motifs of The Old Man in the Sea follow Matthew throughout his journey after the book was introduced to him in the beginning.
Overall I think this book was very good. Christmas' writing is beautiful and his characters feel real and authentic. This book covers a lot of topics that I think are important to talk about with younger readers who might be experiencing these themselves or have friends are/have, and it is done in a way with care and respect for its readers. I highly recommend this book to younger readers or parents who are looking for a middle grade/ young adult book that covers these topics and also touches upon the beauty of relationships and the art of fishing.
Saltwater Boy was a wonderful read. Bradley Christmas is an author who has a beautiful writing style and has created characters that felt so real when reading them. He also shows a great respect for younger audiences as he touches upon topics that many children have to deal with and he does so in this book for readers to see themselves in the character without being spoken down to. The topics of family, death, loneliness, relationships, and many other topics are handled with delicacy and done so in a way that I believe young readers will feel seen in Matthew.
Matthew is a wonderful and complex character to follow. He doesn't act like the "perfect" son in the eyes of his family because he deals with many things. I like how he has these struggles because he is responding the way many of us do when caught in situations like this and it is a realistic depiction of how this can affect a child's mentality.
Matthew's relationships that he builds, especially with Bill, are beautiful and at the end it was heartbreaking. Seeing Bill give Matthew so much joy and teach him about fishing was the true highlight of the book and I love how the motifs of The Old Man in the Sea follow Matthew throughout his journey after the book was introduced to him in the beginning.
Overall I think this book was very good. Christmas' writing is beautiful and his characters feel real and authentic. This book covers a lot of topics that I think are important to talk about with younger readers who might be experiencing these themselves or have friends are/have, and it is done in a way with care and respect for its readers. I highly recommend this book to younger readers or parents who are looking for a middle grade/ young adult book that covers these topics and also touches upon the beauty of relationships and the art of fishing.
June 4, 2024
It seems like I’m in the minority about this, but this…wasn’t a fantastic middle grade novel. It’s a good book, but not for middle grade.
Sure, it has a thirteen year old narrator as he’s coming of age, learning what it means to be a person with responsibilities. He goes through something a lot of kids go through - many kids can relate to dealing with an incarcerated parent, but all kids can relate to feeling like their parents aren’t listening to them.
It’s got some great representation of indigenous communities in Australia, and the author takes a great deal of care in how he depicts them.
But I wouldn’t recommend this to my students. In all honesty, kids of this generation will likely find it tedious, from the disconnected sideplot of Asha to the random encounters with the other kids in town to the unnecessary epilogue. The descriptions are stunning, but they don’t necessarily hold attention. Perhaps this is middle grade for the 1990s, which is when the book is set, but this isn’t middle grade as it is currently understood in 2024..
I would recommend this book to adults - it packs the same emotional punch as a book like Rabbit Cake. I liked the character development a LOT, and like I said earlier, the nature descriptions are gorgeous. Grown ups will really appreciate it. At most I see this as a read aloud, but I don’t see kids picking it up themselves.
Sure, it has a thirteen year old narrator as he’s coming of age, learning what it means to be a person with responsibilities. He goes through something a lot of kids go through - many kids can relate to dealing with an incarcerated parent, but all kids can relate to feeling like their parents aren’t listening to them.
It’s got some great representation of indigenous communities in Australia, and the author takes a great deal of care in how he depicts them.
But I wouldn’t recommend this to my students. In all honesty, kids of this generation will likely find it tedious, from the disconnected sideplot of Asha to the random encounters with the other kids in town to the unnecessary epilogue. The descriptions are stunning, but they don’t necessarily hold attention. Perhaps this is middle grade for the 1990s, which is when the book is set, but this isn’t middle grade as it is currently understood in 2024..
I would recommend this book to adults - it packs the same emotional punch as a book like Rabbit Cake. I liked the character development a LOT, and like I said earlier, the nature descriptions are gorgeous. Grown ups will really appreciate it. At most I see this as a read aloud, but I don’t see kids picking it up themselves.
May 23, 2023
Matthew can’t believe his mum at first when she tells them they have to leave their home. With his father in prison, they are behind in the rent and now they have to find somewhere else to live.
Mum has a plan though. Her dad, and Matt’s beloved Poppy, has left a beach house empty in the tiny seaside town of Crawley Beach. They can live there, do it up and sell it so they can afford to move back to the city. With no other option, Matthew tells his best friend at school that he’s leaving. Asha and Matt are joined at the hip, doing almost everything together, and this is the worst thing imaginable for them both.
But move Matt and Mum do, leaving behind a disgruntled father in prison who suddenly has no control of what his wife and son do without him.
Matt isn’t impressed at his new tiny town, but gradually settles into the beautiful surroundings, calm of the beach, and a new friendship with Old Bill, an elderly fisherman who lives far from town on his own.
There’s something about Bill that Matt longs to know. When Bill’s name is mentioned in the local fishing club where Mum works, smiles and voices drop, and thunderous faces appear. What did Bill do, wonders Matt, to make these normally friendly locals so hostile?
Matt admits to Asha in a letter that he is loving Crawley Beach, his fishing, and the quiet. At least until his father is released from prison.
The first thing Dad does is try to regain his dominance over his family, but Matt calls him out on it while Mum says nothing as always. It’s only when lives are at stake that Mum steps in and demands solutions.
Matt is torn between what his mother tells him about his father and what he experiences. His new friendship under threat also causes conflict in their once calm new home. All of his worries and questions are soon answered, but only with a loss almost too hard to bear.
Although there are female characters within this story, Saltwater Boy is primarily about relationships between fathers and sons. A friendship between an Indigenous Australian man and the main character Matt, is also central to the story as what is passed on from man to boy is what saves lives, relationships and hidden hurt within a community.
Matthew is a sensitive boy, caring for his mother, respectful of adults, but not scared to stick up for himself or try to correct wrongs. The setting of a remote beach town during the summer holidays is beautifully portrayed, as are the ocean scenes around it.
The move to this tiny town sparks many challenges for Matthew, but his coming of age is moulded by domestic violence, bullying, petty crime, grief, Indigenous people’s history and their rights, and racism. There is a lot packed into this debut novel, but it seems effortlessly written, capturing me and keeping me reading.
A growing bond between Matt and his best friend Asha is touched upon, and is another part of Matt’s growing up.
Saltwater Boy is set in Australia, but change the sea life and nationality of a very kind, wise man, and it can be imagined in any coastal town.
Age – 10+
Mum has a plan though. Her dad, and Matt’s beloved Poppy, has left a beach house empty in the tiny seaside town of Crawley Beach. They can live there, do it up and sell it so they can afford to move back to the city. With no other option, Matthew tells his best friend at school that he’s leaving. Asha and Matt are joined at the hip, doing almost everything together, and this is the worst thing imaginable for them both.
But move Matt and Mum do, leaving behind a disgruntled father in prison who suddenly has no control of what his wife and son do without him.
Matt isn’t impressed at his new tiny town, but gradually settles into the beautiful surroundings, calm of the beach, and a new friendship with Old Bill, an elderly fisherman who lives far from town on his own.
There’s something about Bill that Matt longs to know. When Bill’s name is mentioned in the local fishing club where Mum works, smiles and voices drop, and thunderous faces appear. What did Bill do, wonders Matt, to make these normally friendly locals so hostile?
Matt admits to Asha in a letter that he is loving Crawley Beach, his fishing, and the quiet. At least until his father is released from prison.
The first thing Dad does is try to regain his dominance over his family, but Matt calls him out on it while Mum says nothing as always. It’s only when lives are at stake that Mum steps in and demands solutions.
Matt is torn between what his mother tells him about his father and what he experiences. His new friendship under threat also causes conflict in their once calm new home. All of his worries and questions are soon answered, but only with a loss almost too hard to bear.
Although there are female characters within this story, Saltwater Boy is primarily about relationships between fathers and sons. A friendship between an Indigenous Australian man and the main character Matt, is also central to the story as what is passed on from man to boy is what saves lives, relationships and hidden hurt within a community.
Matthew is a sensitive boy, caring for his mother, respectful of adults, but not scared to stick up for himself or try to correct wrongs. The setting of a remote beach town during the summer holidays is beautifully portrayed, as are the ocean scenes around it.
The move to this tiny town sparks many challenges for Matthew, but his coming of age is moulded by domestic violence, bullying, petty crime, grief, Indigenous people’s history and their rights, and racism. There is a lot packed into this debut novel, but it seems effortlessly written, capturing me and keeping me reading.
A growing bond between Matt and his best friend Asha is touched upon, and is another part of Matt’s growing up.
Saltwater Boy is set in Australia, but change the sea life and nationality of a very kind, wise man, and it can be imagined in any coastal town.
Age – 10+
September 28, 2024
I really did enjoy this story, although it took a bit to set the scene and get going.
Matthew and his mum have to move to a coastal settlement when they are removed from their rental in Sydney. Matthew's grandparents' old place is there and mum makes plans to renovate it and sell it on in order for them to get back on their feet.
Matthew isn't best pleased with the plan as it means moving away from his best friend Asha. Not to mention, his dad is due for parole and will end up joining them at some point - and wherever dad goes, there's trouble.
Before dad gets there, Matthew befriends an old local, Bill, who teaches him to fish. They strike up an unusual friendship - one which isn't appreciated by the other locals, who seem to have an issue with Bill.
Matthew wants to get to the bottom of what that issue is, but when dad turns up, the relative peace and quiet of the beach is shaken up and he has new things to worry about.
As mentioned, the story is slow to get started, but it is worth the wait, as the relationship and character building is excellent. There is also some dramatic fishing action which had me on the edge of my seat. What does worry me is that many younger readers these days are less inclined to persevere when things get 'boring' and so they will miss out on completing this beautiful story, which shows that boys can be adventurous and sensitive and loving. Matthew's character really shines, especially when stand it up against his aggressive and frankly unpleasant dad. I did wonder how the author was going to turn this particular relationship around, as for a long time all I wanted was for dad to be gone and for Matthew to completely remove him from his life. However, the transformation was done well, with the help of Bill and his wisdom.
The reason I only gave this book three stars is because it had far too many typos for my liking... not least, at one point, referring to the dad (Gary) as Gerry. The quality of the proof-reading really was lacking, which is disappointing from an established publishing house.
Matthew and his mum have to move to a coastal settlement when they are removed from their rental in Sydney. Matthew's grandparents' old place is there and mum makes plans to renovate it and sell it on in order for them to get back on their feet.
Matthew isn't best pleased with the plan as it means moving away from his best friend Asha. Not to mention, his dad is due for parole and will end up joining them at some point - and wherever dad goes, there's trouble.
Before dad gets there, Matthew befriends an old local, Bill, who teaches him to fish. They strike up an unusual friendship - one which isn't appreciated by the other locals, who seem to have an issue with Bill.
Matthew wants to get to the bottom of what that issue is, but when dad turns up, the relative peace and quiet of the beach is shaken up and he has new things to worry about.
As mentioned, the story is slow to get started, but it is worth the wait, as the relationship and character building is excellent. There is also some dramatic fishing action which had me on the edge of my seat. What does worry me is that many younger readers these days are less inclined to persevere when things get 'boring' and so they will miss out on completing this beautiful story, which shows that boys can be adventurous and sensitive and loving. Matthew's character really shines, especially when stand it up against his aggressive and frankly unpleasant dad. I did wonder how the author was going to turn this particular relationship around, as for a long time all I wanted was for dad to be gone and for Matthew to completely remove him from his life. However, the transformation was done well, with the help of Bill and his wisdom.
The reason I only gave this book three stars is because it had far too many typos for my liking... not least, at one point, referring to the dad (Gary) as Gerry. The quality of the proof-reading really was lacking, which is disappointing from an established publishing house.
July 31, 2023
Saltwater Boy follows a young boy named Matthew who is forced to move to his late grandfather and grandmother's house as his mum is unable to afford the rent. Matthew is in shock and denial and refuses to leave his best friend Asha, once he goes however he finds that he enjoys it there and meets a man named Bill who teaches him how to fish. All seems to be well until Matt's dad who was in prison returns and relationships and emotions change within the household. Secrets about his dad and Bill are unravels
The book puts the reader through an emotional rollercoaster with the reader feeling a number of emotions which gives them a sense of empathy and sympathy.
My favorite character has to be Bill because of his good intentions and his leadership traits. He mentors and shows Matthew how to fish. He acts as a role model and someone Matthew can look up to.
I also like the character Matthew as he is understanding of the situation his mum is in and he can stand up for himself. He doesn't allow himself to be pushed around or influenced by others in his life. He makes his own decisions despite the abuse he faces from his father.
I really admire how the character arc is built for some of the characters, for example his dad. He comes out of jail and tries to work on himself by being kinder but he doesn't express it in a right way and anger fills him up ,he begins to hurt others in his family again. Slowly and surely however, Matthew's dad begins to find empathy and kindness in his heart. The character arc is good because it doesn't rush his development to become kind but rather shows the struggles he has before reaching that point.
I really enjoy the suspense as it makes you continue to read and stay hooked, we get glimpses into each characters personal life and towards the end there are secrets revealed that impact the book and change Matthew's perception of people in his life.
The book has a good level of vocabulary as well.
I would recommend this book to 13-14 years old of any gender, it is suspenseful and has a great character arc.
The book puts the reader through an emotional rollercoaster with the reader feeling a number of emotions which gives them a sense of empathy and sympathy.
My favorite character has to be Bill because of his good intentions and his leadership traits. He mentors and shows Matthew how to fish. He acts as a role model and someone Matthew can look up to.
I also like the character Matthew as he is understanding of the situation his mum is in and he can stand up for himself. He doesn't allow himself to be pushed around or influenced by others in his life. He makes his own decisions despite the abuse he faces from his father.
I really admire how the character arc is built for some of the characters, for example his dad. He comes out of jail and tries to work on himself by being kinder but he doesn't express it in a right way and anger fills him up ,he begins to hurt others in his family again. Slowly and surely however, Matthew's dad begins to find empathy and kindness in his heart. The character arc is good because it doesn't rush his development to become kind but rather shows the struggles he has before reaching that point.
I really enjoy the suspense as it makes you continue to read and stay hooked, we get glimpses into each characters personal life and towards the end there are secrets revealed that impact the book and change Matthew's perception of people in his life.
The book has a good level of vocabulary as well.
I would recommend this book to 13-14 years old of any gender, it is suspenseful and has a great character arc.
April 13, 2023
Three and a half stars.
There’s a lot to like in this debut novel, with well developed main characters and moving descriptions of nature and wildlife.
Themes of friendship, poverty, racism, parenting and environmental stewardship are explored. References to Indigenous culture, ritual and Dreaming are well handled.
Occasionally a bit heavy handed with sentiment, more restrained writing would have actually increased the emotional impact, but perhaps suits the target audience age.
A couple of plot points disrupted my enjoyment though. The main character is only 12 but sometimes reads more like a 16 year old. Physically, I don’t believe he would have been strong enough to pull a grown man out of the water into a boat. Also, a patient with a suspected head injury would not have to wait until morning to see a doctor, in fact, they would most likely be sent to a city hospital for imaging.
I was also unconvinced about the adoption subplot. I don’t know any adopted children who use their parents first names. Nor any parents who would send a 12 year old back to their country of origin unattended.
This serious theme isn’t handled with enough sensitivity or depth. The importance of family, including chosen family such as Billy, is explored sensitively elsewhere, but with Asha, her biological family is given more importance than the parents who have raised her since birth.
Her parents are one dimensional and their grief at Asha’s rejection and questioning of their love is not included. With the other adults, a clearer picture of their emotion is conveyed.
I think some judicious editing could have addressed these few criticisms.
Overall though, a really readable and thoughtful middle grade story well told.
There’s a lot to like in this debut novel, with well developed main characters and moving descriptions of nature and wildlife.
Themes of friendship, poverty, racism, parenting and environmental stewardship are explored. References to Indigenous culture, ritual and Dreaming are well handled.
Occasionally a bit heavy handed with sentiment, more restrained writing would have actually increased the emotional impact, but perhaps suits the target audience age.
A couple of plot points disrupted my enjoyment though. The main character is only 12 but sometimes reads more like a 16 year old. Physically, I don’t believe he would have been strong enough to pull a grown man out of the water into a boat. Also, a patient with a suspected head injury would not have to wait until morning to see a doctor, in fact, they would most likely be sent to a city hospital for imaging.
I was also unconvinced about the adoption subplot. I don’t know any adopted children who use their parents first names. Nor any parents who would send a 12 year old back to their country of origin unattended.
This serious theme isn’t handled with enough sensitivity or depth. The importance of family, including chosen family such as Billy, is explored sensitively elsewhere, but with Asha, her biological family is given more importance than the parents who have raised her since birth.
Her parents are one dimensional and their grief at Asha’s rejection and questioning of their love is not included. With the other adults, a clearer picture of their emotion is conveyed.
I think some judicious editing could have addressed these few criticisms.
Overall though, a really readable and thoughtful middle grade story well told.
October 15, 2025
Saltwater Boy was in the Young Adult section at my local library which is why I was a bit confused with the 12 year old protagonist. Very quickly I assumed something awful was going to happen to him or his family, which it both did and didn't. The father is a larger than life character who 'jumps' out of the page in a terrifying way and over-shadowed most of the story, he is erratic and violent, including hitting his child. There are a few things that are implied or unclear because of the narrative voice of the young boy (like his dad's mental illness or a scene where he hears his parents fighting only to find his dad lying in his mum's lap) but I'm not convinced that the moral of 'accepting your family' is entirely helpful advice especially when the character Matthew states he feels unsafe around his dad time and time again. The denounment happens after his dad gets hit really hard in the head to the point where it messes with his memory and becomes less able and therefore less violent, no change actually came from the character himself.
May 4, 2024
There was so much potential in the storyline of this book, but it just felt a little flat for me. I kept finding myself wishing for it to push further, or seem a little more authentic in the character interactions, but it just stayed in a sort of trying-to-impart-some-moral-for-a-middle-schooler area.
In the story Marty’s dad is in jail and his mom has to move him to a small coastal town to make ends meet. Everything is going well, Matt makes friends with a local fisherman, and is falling in love with the town, until Marty’s dad gets paroled and joins them in Crawley Point and everything changes.
I liked Bill’s character, and the story of his past, and how much kindness he showed to Matty. The Asha storyline wasn’t super necessary, I think? It felt like a random tie to his past, that didn’t push the plot or add anything really to the story. I would have preferred the focus stay on Matt, Gary and Bill.
Thanks for the copy of the book #NetGalley!
In the story Marty’s dad is in jail and his mom has to move him to a small coastal town to make ends meet. Everything is going well, Matt makes friends with a local fisherman, and is falling in love with the town, until Marty’s dad gets paroled and joins them in Crawley Point and everything changes.
I liked Bill’s character, and the story of his past, and how much kindness he showed to Matty. The Asha storyline wasn’t super necessary, I think? It felt like a random tie to his past, that didn’t push the plot or add anything really to the story. I would have preferred the focus stay on Matt, Gary and Bill.
Thanks for the copy of the book #NetGalley!
November 15, 2024
Saltwater Boy really appealed to me. The writing flowed well and I quickly got into the story. Bradley Christmas has done a great job of creating a sense of coastal life in an Aussie town and I could almost smell the saltwater. I really liked the setting of the book when Matthew and his mother moved to the coast, and the tension created when his father arrived on the scene after leaving jail.
Most of all I probably enjoyed the scenes with Matthew and his new friend Bill. I loved watching the boy grow and mature into a teenager as he spent time with Bill fishing, and learning to appreciate the environment around him. For me, the book has echoes of that great Australian classic, Storm Boy by Colin Thiele, a book I personally enjoyed as a child.
I think there’s lots to enjoy in Saltwater Boy for kids and adults of all ages.
Most of all I probably enjoyed the scenes with Matthew and his new friend Bill. I loved watching the boy grow and mature into a teenager as he spent time with Bill fishing, and learning to appreciate the environment around him. For me, the book has echoes of that great Australian classic, Storm Boy by Colin Thiele, a book I personally enjoyed as a child.
I think there’s lots to enjoy in Saltwater Boy for kids and adults of all ages.
April 22, 2025
This is an absolutely magical book that is deserving of wider acclaim. A coming of age story that deals with large issues such as domestic violence, small town secrets, racism, Indigenous history, and family. Despite all of these issues being addressed, it is not a moralising book but rather an experiential one that serves all of these subjects well by not attempting to break them down into easy solutions. The author shows that each of these exist in a broad spectrum of understanding and that complex issues require considered and sometimes imperfect solutions. It is also an incredibly beautiful book that explores the incredible power of forgiveness and finding the good in people. This should be a standard text in schools as it offers so much on so many levels. It will move you and stay with you long after have closed its pages.
September 25, 2024
Saltwater Boy is a stunning, emotional, gripping, un-put-downable, and fascinating book! This heartfelt story is best suited for middle grade and YA readers, but I believe it is a story everyone can enjoy. It is a coming of age story highlighting fractured families, old rivalries, the impact mentors can have, intergenerational relationships, and the struggle to start fresh. Personally, the intergenerational relationships are something I adored. It beautifully showcased how individuals can change, learn from their mistakes, and help others not make the same mistakes they did by passing on their wisdom. The drama level in this book is high. I felt so bad for Matthew who was caught in between it all. This book is wonderful!
November 2, 2024
Set in Australia, this coming-of-age middle-grade story centers around 12-year-old Matthew whose dad is in prison. In order to make ends meet, Matthew and his mom must move to a coastal town to fix up his deceased grandparents’ home so it can be sold. Although he misses his best friend, Matthew quickly falls in love with the town and with fishing. He also befriends an older man who is the town outcast. Matthew loves having his mom all to himself and also not having to deal with his moody and sometimes abusive father. When his father is released from prison, everything Matthew has come to love is upended. This is a wonderful story about found family and second chances. Some of the abuse scenes are tough to read and Matthew’s mother’s reactions to them are not great. There was an adoption element that I didn’t love, so adoptive parents may want to pre-read it before handing it to their kids. It will help them prepare to answer some tough questions.
Thanks to Walker Books and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Thanks to Walker Books and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
November 13, 2024
i read this novel to vet whether it was appropriate for high school students to study in english class. it’s a really sweet story, and made me tear up towards the end. the descriptions of the various naturescapes and settings were vivid and beautiful and attentive. i will say that the main character’s way of speaking, and the dialogue he shares with most other characters in the book, is quite… simplistic/unrealistic? predictable/one-dimensional? cliche? but that’s my perspective as a 20-something-year-old; i think for a younger audience, the dialogue would be comforting and heartwarming.
July 1, 2024
A heartwarming tale that explores the complexities, but overall beauties, of friendship and family. It is also an enjoyable read that shows how one can find a sense of belonging in their passions and others (and shows how one can redeem themselves when others give the right push - the motivation to be better and your true self). A worthwhile read that leaves you appreciative of the relationships you have as well as the land we stand on.
March 25, 2024
An engaging and well written coming of age story set up on the south coast of NSW with interwoven themes of diversity and inclusion of first generation and indigenous Australians. It’s lovely to read a YA novel every once and while - the simplicity of the writing while at the same time tackling some difficult and often controversial themes. Highly recommended.
July 27, 2025
I liked this book, which is about a 12-almost-13 year old boy who moves to a seaside town in the early 90s and finds a deep connection with the ocean. It was very sweet, with some good characters. I did however find the naivety of the main character (who fair enough was a child) a little grating, and I kept hoping we would skip ahead a few years, but alas.
August 30, 2025
Saltwater Boy is a touching coming-of-age story set in a small Australian coastal town. It follows 12-year-old Matthew as he deals with grief, family struggles and absence of a father figure. I think the book was a bit slow, and at sometimes a bit predictable, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. Would recommend.
February 25, 2023
This was such a well-written Australian novel that includes story-sharing and father-son relationships. There was an amazing story-arc and I couldn’t put this down. This definitely gives off Storm Boy vibes.
April 9, 2023
This is truly a beautiful coming-of-age story. It is tender at times, harsh at others, but always written with a complete understanding of how a 12 year old boy feels & the relationships he experiences. It can be enjoyed by a wide audience, from 11-12 year old readers through to adults.
August 10, 2023
This book was beautifully written. It explored father son relationships and it showed that even though a town is small it can still have big mysteries, Bradley Christmas did a wonderful job of showing us that we can choose who we trust. Although it was a bit slow at the start.
January 3, 2025
Sensitively and beautifully told coming of age story exploring themes of family violence, prison, emotional connection and relationships, and indigenous culture. I allowed myself to drift with the voice of the narrator in the audio version of this book - a real joy.
February 1, 2025
Saltwater boy by Bradley Christmas. This book was great as it was wow through the eyes of a young boy and how he saw the world and the relationships he had. I loved how native people were expressed in this book and displayed
August 8, 2023
slow start but i'm glad i stayed on! the typos and occasional punctuation mistakes were kind of annoying but this was a really cool story, enjoyed the fishing and the father's character development
August 27, 2023
A big hearted and uniquely Australian coming of age story.
January 9, 2024
A gentle coming of age story about complex family dynamics, small town communities and the power of friendship. Looking forward to recommending this to fishing-mad students.
February 15, 2024
Well-written , gritty and sometimes 'in your face' / hard hitting. Likeable and very unlikeable characters with strong themes and messages. A gorgeous Indigenous element to it. Redemptive and heart-felt. I loved it. 4.5 stars.
It has the feeling of a great school/study text. Set in Australia.
On a side note, quite a few typos throughout the book, but did not distract from the story.
It has the feeling of a great school/study text. Set in Australia.
On a side note, quite a few typos throughout the book, but did not distract from the story.
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