The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch

Thirteen year old Mile O'Malley is fascinated by the life he finds on the shores of Puget Sound. His life away from the water is not so beautiful. In this coming of age novel full of the angst of first love and the disappointment with the adult world, an important discovery puts Mile in the crazy spin of a media circus.  Although naive in the ways of the competitive adult world, he remains the most grounded of all.  This is an allegorical story that speaks to readers of all ages.