Back to Series

 Copy Link

 

Saltwater Boy

When Matthew's dad gets in trouble, he makes trouble for everyone else too. But with Dad in jail, Matthew and his mum have a chance to put their pieces back together. Mom makes plans for a summer down the coast, fixing up Grandpa's old place in an effort to make ends meet. The beach, the swirling rockpools, and the vast ocean offer new perspective and promise for Matthew as he strikes up a friendship with Bill, an old local who recognizes a fellow 'Saltwater Boy'. Bill shows Matthew how to find pippis and catch fish (and even make a few dollars from it). Bill becomes the paternal figure that Dad isn't; wise and patient, but Bill isn't welcomed in town, and Matthew begins to witness old rivalries and buried truths resurface.