First published 2010
Chet Roscow has finally settled into life in Elm Hills, New Jersey. The ten-year-old works at his uncle Jerry's diner and spends hot summer days of 1916 swimming in the cool waters of Matawan Creek with his three close friends. Then terrifying reports arrive from the Jersey shore. A great white shark has begun attacking swimmers in nearby waters. The entire town buzzes with frightened conversations about the predator. When Chet spots something moving in their familiar creek, he tells himself it must be his imagination playing tricks. But the creature he encounters is all too real. The bloodthirsty shark has found its way into what should have been their safe haven. Chet must find the courage to survive this deadly encounter. This story brings the actual shark attacks that terrorized New Jersey's coast to vivid life through one boy's harrowing experience.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, survival
Setting: Elm Hills, Jersey Shore, Matawan Creek, New Jersey
Period: 1916
112 pages · Paperback · Scholastic