The One O'Clock Chop

The One O'Clock Chop is a young adult novel by written by Ralph Fletcher, first published in 2007.

Background
Ralph Fletch drew up on own experiences in being a clam digger when he was between seventeen and twenty years old.  He considers this his first piece of historical fiction and talked to many Hawaiian women while writing this novel.

Plot summary
Matt, a fourteen your old boy living on Long Island in 1973, takes a job with Dan,  a clam digger.  He wants to save up enough money to buy a used boat. Jazzy, Matt's cousin from Hawaii comes to spend the summer with Matt and his mother.  Jazzy and Matt become kissing cousins until Jazzy becomes interested in another boy.  They finally become friends again and Matt learns to stand up for himself.

Explanation of the novel's title
The One O'Clock Chop is a daily breeze that suddenly moves across the bay where Matt lives roughening up the smooth surface. Dan says "the old salts say you can set your watch by it."

Notes

References

Other websites
Ralph Fletcher's website

Category:2007 books
Category:American young adult novels
Category:Books by Ralph Fletcher