LOBSTER BOAT

Moving on from the wildlife in Cactus Hotel (1991) and Spoonbill Swamp (1992), Guiberson and Lloyd depict a day of lobstering on the Maine coast. Despite morning fog and a storm brewing, Tommy and his uncle set out in their small craft to check and rebait their traps, keeping only the male catch of the right size and making it back to port after the storm hits. There, ``the bad news is that the catch is high everywhere and the price is down.'' Guiberson works in the salient facts for an informative look at this demanding, fascinating occupation, amplified in a concluding note. Lloyd's evocative art is lovely, capturing water and sky in misty watercolors while focusing more specific pen lines on the lobsters, the people, and the tools of their trade. (Picture book. 4-8)