Southwest Nova Scotia author Pam Wamback has brought a local maritime celebrity to the world of children’s fiction with her new book Lucy the Lob’STAR.
The book was inspired by the real-life Lucy the Lobster, a local celebrity of Barrington, Nova Scotia. On Groundhog Day in 2018, the clairvoyant crustacean emerged from the ocean to give her own prediction as to whether spring would come early that year. Since then, Lucy has given six predictions — five of which called for a longer winter.
The book is illustrated by Chad Thompson, an American artist who has worked on Disney animated productions such as Mulan, Lilo & Stitch and Brother Bear.
Pam Wamback, who has become known as “the lady who loves lobster,” created an origin story for Lucy, which tells of a young lobster dreaming of fame. One day, Lucy meets a groundhog named Gilbert seeking out a new groundhog to take his place as the local weather forecaster. Despite not being the furry rodent that Gilbert is, Lucy has an idea — what if she predicts the weather?
Wamback, who has attended the Groundhog Day celebration in Barrington since 2018, said she wanted her book to reflect the rich cultural impact of the lobster fishery on Nova Scotia.
“I’m passionate about our lobster industry and how it has shaped so much of Nova Scotia,” said Wamback. “The idea for this story has been percolating in my head for a few years but I wanted it to be more than just a story. I wanted the story of Lucy to convey and reflect our rich seafaring heritage and culture in a fun yet educational, and accurate, way.”
Lucy’s annual prediction coincides with the month-long Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl, which sees events celebrating the province’s largest fishery across the south shore.
“I’ve been a big supporter of the Lobster Crawl Festival and have been involved with it since its inception,” said Wamback. “In just a few years, the Lobster Crawl Festival has become one of the top tourism events for the province, especially for a time that is considered ‘off-season’ for the tourism industry.”
Lucy the Lob’STAR launches on February 1, 2025 — just in time for the real-life Lucy’s yearly prediction the following day. The official book launch and signing will be held at Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack in Barrignton Passage, N.S. at 12:00 p.m.
