The Big Snapper Book

Ten-year-old Eddie lives with his mom and grandparents in a small cabin on the Queen Charlotte Islands. A year earlier, Eddie's dad took the ferry to the mainland and never returned. Eddie loves going fishing with Granddad and listening to his tall tales about the big snapper. Eddie believes if they catch such a fish, it might change his family's fortune. Mom decides to turn their cabin into a bed and breakfast. Some of the guests appreciate island life, but many do not. When Granddad falls ill and must go away for treatment, Eddie worries that he too may not come back. Already hurt and confused by his father's disappearance, upset by the attitudes of the tourists, and now missing his beloved grandfather, Eddie goes fishing alone in Granddad's skiff. Soon he is struggling with more than the need to stay afloat. Katherine Holubitsky's first novel, Alone at Ninety Foot, (Orca), won the CLA Book of the Year for Young Adults and the IODE Violet Downey Book Award. She has also written Last Summer in Agatha, The Hippie House and The Mountain that Walked, all published by Orca. Katherine lives in Edmonton, Alberta.

Children's Literature

For ten-year-old Eddie, life on the remote island of Haida Gwaii revolves around fishing. There is nothing that thrills him more than heading out with his Granddad for a day of fishing and storytelling. Granddad has a story ready for every occasion; most feature the remarkable, near-mythic Big Snapper. Eddie thrills in the outlandish stories his grandfather tells, such as his story about being tossed by the Snapper into Alcatraz, the one about falling into the middle of a shipboard mutiny, or the one about scaring loggers away from a sleepy bear's den. The first part of the summer, spent on the water, seems idyllic. He misses his absent father, but Eddie's family is getting by, and he is enjoying some adventures. Then, Granddad becomes ill. The doctor sends him to a big city hospital. Eddie's life seems hollow without his grandfather and the tall tales he spins. Suddenly, catching the Big Snapper seems even more important than ever. If Eddie can just find the strength to catch and hold on the Snapper, maybe he can find a way to hold onto the other important beings in his life, too. Katherine Holubitsky's slender novel is an evocative tale of self-reliance, perseverance, community, and strength. It is a love story for the generations. Granddad's tales are the perfect seasoning, adding a light touch to some otherwise serious issues.