The Shark Callers

Set in Papua New Guinea, this book tells two stories: that of Andy and his family, sailing the oceans of the world in their own boat, and that of Kaleku, a local boy who must progress into manhood by killing a shark. Although the two never meet, their stories, told in alternate episodes, come together in the aftermath of a terrifying volcanic explosion. This is an exciting, well-told adventure story; Eric Campbell excels at giving a knowledgeable and vivid sense of the beauties and dangers of the natural world.