(2) K-3 Illustrated by Zachariah OHora. Best friends Chowder and Crackers love living and lobstering in the seaside town of Kittybunkport, though the lighthouse, allegedly possessed by lobster ghosts, is a drawback. One day the light goes out, and when "not one scaredy-cat in Kittybunkport raised their paw" to volunteer to investigate why, the BFFs are drafted into service and reluctantly head over in their boat (the Lobsta' Lova'). Rothman's cheeky text and OHora's cartoonlike illustrations keep any hint of spookiness at bay. The third-person narration often plays it straight ("Luckily, this didn't scare Chowder or Crackers...one bit"), while speech bubbles deliver the cat duo's well-scripted banter (Chowder: "I wouldn't say I'm terrified of it." Crackers: "I would. That's exactly what I would say"). Once inside the lighthouse, the two make their way "through thick, very gross cobwebs" and up the "creaky stairs." They're relieved to reach the top, only to encounter a giant lobster-shaped shadow -- "RUN! Lobster ghost!" A record-scratch of a page-turn assures us, "It wasn't." The shadow belongs to a chatty fishing dog ("as you can tell by the extremely yellow pants I'm wearing") who is on the scene with a very big lightbulb. OHora's digitally rendered art in saturated retro-hued colors makes the most of the humor; details such as the little lobster ghosts floating through many of the scenes will make readers want to haunt these pages again and again.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Laurel Molk. Worry-filled little dog Sukie visits the beach with her child owner, Eleanor. Sukie is afraid of the sand, a beach ball, and the water--and "besides, there might be lobsters." But when Sukie's stuffed monkey, Chunka Monka, needs rescuing, the pup bravely conquers her fears. Playful watercolor, acrylic, and pen-and-ink illustrations add humor to the recognizable plot and will endear timid little Sukie to readers.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(4) K-3 Dapper feline inventor Mr. Biddles does not recognize his own loneliness until a crate from Maine shows up on his doorstep; lobster Hobson becomes "the extra set of hands [Mr. Biddles] always needed" as well as a great companion. The slight plot serves as a vehicle for Lombardi's unique digitally assembled collages, a charming mishmash of photographs, found objects, ephemera, and drawings.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) YA Rilla's father has died suddenly, so it's up to her to keep the family's fishing legacy alive. While out lobstering, high-school graduate Rilla meets university student Sam as he excavates a nearby island. The island's secret past leads to Rilla's being haunted. Parker skillfully immerses the reader in coastal-Maine culture and history, with the supernatural element adding danger and urgency to the narrative.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 Lobster Chronicles series. Illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong. When Norris accidentally destroys his teacher's cactus, he hatches an elaborate scheme to displace the blame. Meanwhile, his father's high auction bid for a giant lobster highlights the wealthy family's outsider status in the community. The narrative is critical of Norris's snobbery while still projecting compassion for his isolation, striking a complex but kid-accessible balance to all the hijinks. Small pencil illustrations open each chapter.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) 4-6 Lobster Chronicles series. Illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong. Earnest Ferguson, determined to help his grandfather find a legacy to leave behind, is the focal perspective for this third overlapping tale of how the trapping of a giant lobster affects a small fishing community. Kerrin weaves community memory, intergenerational bonding, and tension between old ways and new into a thoughtful plot, but the leisurely pace and extreme subtlety will limit the book's appeal.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 4-6 Petronius, an articulate seahorse, narrates this ocean adventure about Higgins Hole, a peaceful reef community. When threatened by a group of bloodthirsty sharks, Petronius and friends must figure out how to save their community and their lives. Fishy puns, dynamic vocabulary, suspenseful action, and black-and-white drawings of the smart yet goofy-looking sea creatures make this a winning package.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Amy Huntington. When the fog rolls in and the seas get rough, Grandma's son, the lobsterman, gets seasick. As in their earlier books, Grandma and grandson Billy rise to the occasion. With wild abandon, they drive the lobsterboat filled with lobsters for the town’s Labor Day picnic back to shore. Their humorous voyage back is accompanied by action-filled watercolor illustrations.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Told by a jovial red lobster, this retelling takes place in the deep ocean where Santa is a walrus in a conch shell sleigh pulled by eight tiny seahorses. Andreasen's oil-paint and digital art is cheery but cutesy. The undersea setting is a tad gratuitous, though some children may find the aquatic re-imagining entertaining.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) 4-6 Lobster Chronicles series. Illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong. Budding marine biologist Graeme's lobsterman father catches a huge, record-breaking lobster. In order to get at that crustacean, crafty cannery scion Norris exploits Graeme's desire to raise funds to visit the Big Fish Aquarium. There's also a classroom mystery, and the plot is a bit muddled. The maritime North Atlantic setting is vivid in this first entry in a planned trilogy.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(2) 4-6 When Indie's rare golden lobster disappears, she enlists the help of oddball new kid Owen. Her desperate-to-fit-in older sister, however, does not want her to be friends with weirdos and lobsters. The girls' relationship, realistic and poignant, adds depth to the story while providing insight into Indie's frantic search. Moulton's sensitivity to her characters' emotions extends the tale's mood and setting.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2012

(4) 4-6 Eddie, twelve, and Briggs, thirteen, find themselves chasing down lobster thieves while being accused of the same crime. After a slow start, the story's action picks up with the boys setting a trap to catch the criminals. The entire cast of characters fits into well-worn stereotypes, but the protagonists make a likable pair of amateur detectives.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Stuck in a hick town in Maine for the summer, thirteen-year-old Manuel desperately wants to return home to New Haven. To raise money, Manuel works for Zeke, a crotchety old lobsterman. Manuel's slow summer picks up (as does the book) when Manuel finds himself hunting for "black gold" (mussels) with Zeke. The unlikely pair forge a reluctant friendship as adventures and troubles mount.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 When a gigantic pair of lobsters is stolen from Mr. Petrusca's fish shop, spunky Hazel Green cracks the case using sophisticated guesswork and irresistible charm. While sleuthing, Hazel learns that Mr. Petrusca is illiterate and decides to teach him to read. Hazel's role as a tutor is unconvincing, but this novel works well as a clever detective story.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(3) K-3 Bookworms: Guess Who series. Intended for beginning readers (but also good read-alouds), these informational books are narrated by a lobster (Snaps) and a spider (Spins). Short clues ("I have two strong jaws. Each one has a sharp fang") and intriguing close-up photographs help readers guess each animal's identity. "Challenge words" are defined at the end of the book. Ind. Review covers these Bookworms: Guess Who titles: Guess Who Snaps and Guess Who Spins.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(4) 4-6 Lobstering for the summer off the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, high schooler Lauchie pulls up an old crock containing an antique pistol and a letter describing hidden treasure. Predictable but entertaining adventure ensues as Lauchie and a friend search for the stash of silver and gold and narrowly escape disaster when a cave wall collapses. Ashby has a good sense of Cape Breton speech cadence and develops the setting well.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) YA Despite his mother's urging to apply for college, high schooler Dain dreams of becoming a lobsterman like his late father. Conflicts with his older brother and a series of destroyed lobster traps cause Dain to reconsider his future. Although the plot's pace in this first novel is sporadic, the setting--Maine's fog-shrouded coastal waters--is strongly evoked.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta