A tribute to Florida, fishing, and familyAll Skeet Waters wants is to catch a big, beautiful tarpon on his fly rod - and to keep everything else in his life in Florida the way it's always been. But on his spring break from school, Skeet overhears his mother telling his father to move out permanently. Then, while riding in his boat to escape his parents' troubles, he discovers a manatee that's been shot in the head. Skeet puts aside his search for the manatee and its killer when Dirty Dan the Tarpon Man offers to take him out to catch his first tarpon on a fly. Because of Dan, Skeet begins tounravel the mysteries surrounding the manatee's apparent murder and his parents' dissolving marriage.Skeet discovers that life is a lot like tarpon fishing, in which you can't look just at the surface of the water - you have to look through it, at what lies beneath.

Suggested Book Club Questions for The Missing Manatee (Fiction)

The following book club questions provide a starting point for creating a reading group discussion on The Missing Manatee:

• Did Cynthia DeFelice emphasize any specific themes throughout The Missing Manatee? What do you think Cynthia DeFelice is trying to explain with this theme?
• What was unique about the setting of The Missing Manatee and how did it affect the storyline?
• Could you relate to any of the characters? If so, which ones and why?
• How do characters change or learn throughout The Missing Manatee? What events caused these changes? Have you or someone you know experienced the same thing?
• How does The Missing Manatee reveal Cynthia DeFelice's own perspectives about people and the world? For a lively discussion, describe why you think Cynthia DeFelice is liberal or conservative.
• Did certain parts of The Missing Manatee affect you emotionally? Why did it evoke those emotions?
• Did Cynthia DeFelice's point of view on things lend new perspective to your own view of the world?

Suggested Book Club Questions for The Missing Manatee (Non-fiction)

The following book club questions provide a starting point for creating a reading group discussion on The Missing Manatee:

• Did Cynthia DeFelice make persuasive arguments in The Missing Manatee? Did The Missing Manatee change or reinforce your opinion on the subject?
• What did you learn from The Missing Manatee?
• How does Cynthia DeFelice present the information and did you enjoy it?
• How is Cynthia DeFelice biased within The Missing Manatee? Is there a political slant to what is being discussed and how does it impact the book?
• What, if anything, does The Missing Manatee make you want to read next? Why?