Among the fourteen young adult books by Strasser, Workin' for Peanuts (1983) and The Diving Bell (1992) share some similarities with his novel Beyond the Reef. In Workin' for Peanuts the author presents a similar thematic conflict by depicting a close relationship between the protagonist Jeff and his father. Like Chris in Beyond the Reef Jeff is confronted with severe financial family problems caused by his father's unemployment. Jeff, who has to come to terms with the hardships of his low social status (including the fact that he has to give up a girl he fell in love with), plays an active part in helping his father to cope with his psychological problems of being jobless.

The novel The Diving Bell contains similarities to Beyond the Reef with regard to the setting and the narrative structure. The adventure of sports, in particular of diving, is the major constituent...