A bout t he b o o k When his dad goes missing, fourteen-year -old Jake refuses to t hink he may have lost his fa ther forever. But suddenly, nothing in Jake’s future seems certain, and his family’s diner may be re- possessed by loan sharks. In Narragansett Bay, scrabbling out a living as a quahogger isn’t easy, but with the help of some local clammers, Jake is determined to work hard and earn enough money to ensure his family’ s security and save the diner in time. Told with cinematic suspense and a true compassion for the characters, Swim That Rockis a fast-paced coming-of-age story that beautifully and evocatively captures the essence of coastal Rhode Island life, the struggles of blue-collar fam- ily dynamics, and the dreams of one boy to come into his own. HC: 978-0-7636-6905-8 •E-book: 978-0-7636-7224-9 J OHN R OCCO & JA Y P RIMIANO CANDLEWICK PRESS DISCUSSION GUIDE AND Q&A This discussion guide, which ca n be used with large or small groups, will help your students meet several of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts. These include the rea ding literature standards for key ideas and details, craft and structure, and integration of knowledge and ideas (CCSS.ELA - Literacy.RL), as well as the speaking and listening standards for comprehension and collaboration and for presentation of knowledge and ideas (CCSS.ELA- Literacy.SL). Questions can also be used as writing prompts for independent work. Common Core Connections
