Preview of Beyond the Reef Summary:

In many ways, Strasser's novel is particularly aimed at the interests of male teen-age readers. At first glance the plot seems to be a mere adventure story: Chris, the protagonist, and his father, a former high school teacher, set out to hunt for treasure in the waters near Key West, Florida, which should take several years. The treasure they are searching for supposedly consists of huge amounts of gold and silver on a sunken Spanish galleon. The adventurous elements of the book are enhanced furthermore by the fact that father and son have to face dangerous and frightening situations while scuba diving for the treasure in the ocean.

One reason why this book will especially appeal to boys derives from the special relationship between Chris and his father. This relationship overshadows all other interactions between the novel's characters, including Chris's relationship with his mother. When his parents get...