Neville's father works in Jamaica's sugarcane fields, and while the family makes do, there's no extra money for Neville's fondest wish: to buy his mother a pretty new dress.

When Neville learns that the crabs he catches for pay are being mistreated, he must decide either to look the other way or protect the wildlife he loves and forget about buying a present for his mother. The Crab Man raises important questions about doing what's right in an uncertain world.