A Small Boat at the Bottom of the Sea
Young Readers

A Small Boat at the Bottom of the Sea

By
John Thomson
“A significant book, a powerful book.” —BOOKSLUT
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When twelve-year-old Donovan Sanger is sent to spend the summer with his Uncle Bix—an ex-con—and his Aunt Hattie, who is dying from lung cancer, he does not know what to expect. But at least he’ll get away from his twin sisters, Holly and Heather, “The Two H’s,” who once painted his toes while he slept. Before a week goes by, Donovan is recruited to help Bix retrieve the motor from a sunken boat, given a flattop short as a golf green, and learns that his uncle’s criminal past might be something he has not entirely left behind.

A perfect reading adventure—hailed as “moving and believable” (New York Times)—A Small Boat at the Bottom of the Sea is a rich exploration of the courage it takes to attain redemption, and the power of strong relationships to help people look beyond the bad choices others make and see the good inside them.

ISBN
9781571316561
Publish Date
Pages
168
Dimensions
5.25 × 7.75 × 0.5 in
Weight
7 oz
Cover Art
Author
John Thomson

John Thomson

John Thomson is the author of A Small Boat at the Bottom of the Sea. His stories have appeared in several literary magazines, including Collateral, Terrain, The Raven’s Perch, and others. His story “Out of Good Ground” won Terrain’s 2018 prize for fiction. He has worked as a government wildlife biologist and as a land steward for a nonprofit land trust in Northern California, where he and his wife live close to their two grown daughters.

Praise and Prizes

  • “One of the most affecting and readable short novels to come along in years … Written with grace and style … This is, surprisingly, a first novel. Few accomplished authors could have written a book this good. Its language is delicately beautiful, and its rhythms are like fine music.”

    Salem Statesman Journal

  • “In this small but well-observed novel, the way Donovan rises to the occasion is moving and believable.”

    New York Times

  • “A book in which a man’s integrity comes into question and a boy’s own instincts are proven to be invaluable. In the midst of everything loud and shiny and bright on the bookshelves, this is a quiet little gem.”

    Eclectica Reviews

  • “A significant book, a powerful book … A book that will make a reader pause and consider their own life and for young adults who are just starting to make their own way in the world, it is an excellent opportunity to place themselves vicariously in a situation that will prompt all the right sort of questions among its readers.”

    Bookslut

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