The Line Tender

The Line Tender by Kate Allen is a coming-of-age novel set in a coastal town in Massachusetts. The story revolves around Lucy Everhart, a 12-year-old girl who struggles to cope with the deaths of her mother and best friend. The novel intertwines Lucy’s journey through grief and healing with her deepening interest in sharks; her mother, who was a marine biologist, conducted research on sharks, and Lucy takes comfort in her work. With time, Lucy forms a community that helps her through her struggles. The novel was published in 2019 and was a national bestseller. It was named a Best Book of 2019 by Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly.

This guide references the Dutton Children’s Books 2019 hardcover edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide refer to the death of a parent and depict the death of a child.

Plot Summary

On a hot July day in Rockport, Massachusetts, in 1996, 12-year-old Lucy Everhart and her best friend, Fred Kelly, are buying candy from a local shop. Two tourists come in the store, excitedly discussing a great white shark that a local fisherman just caught. Lucy and Fred race down to the wharf and see that the fisherman is Sookie, an old friend of Lucy’s family.