Riding the Waves (Older childrens fiction) [Paperback]

Theresa Tomlinson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Older childrens fiction | Publication Date: April 30, 1992

Commended in the 1991 Carnegie Medal Award.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Matt, in his first year at Seaburn Bay Comprehensive, dreams of joining the surfers who gather at the seashore of his small, dingy English town. But with his father away in search of work and his mother preoccupied with running a bed-and-breakfast, Matt's chances of donning the necessary equipment and hitting the waves seem increasingly unlikely. Instead, a school assignment obliges Matt to visit Florrie, a garrulous old woman who was a friend of his grandmother. Matt must listen to Florrie's tales and memories and gossip. Surprisingly, it is Florrie who provides Matt an entree to the surfers, a development which cements Florrie and Matt's friendship. As they learn each other's secrets (Florrie once gave away a child, Matt is adopted), Matt discovers a sense of belonging that had always eluded him. The unlayering of the various underlying themes is slow, even laborious, but Florrie is lively and credible, and her evolving relationship with Matt gives the story a powerful center. Ages 9-13.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-- A strong novel about the surprising relationship that evolves between a boy and an elderly woman. Matt lives in a small seaside town in England, and dreams of joining a group of surfers, who have all the glamour of film stars in his eyes. They seem unattainable, however, until he is forced by a class project to pay a visit to Florrie, an old friend of his deceased grandmother's. After an awkward start, the pair find they have a lot to offer one another. Her stories of her youth in Seaburn actually interest and inspire him, while his problems and frustrations give her something to live for. When she asks the boy to accompany her to the beach, he fears she'll embarrass him in front of his surfing idols. In a neat twist, Florrie turns out to be a favorite of the surfing gang, and her presence helps him make the new friends he'd hoped for. Natural dialogue and deft insight into the characters' feelings raise this book above its fairly conventional plot. Matt's problem with learning to surf work as an unobtrusive metaphor for his other struggles and for Florrie's as well. The conclusion is particularly satisfying. She has not won her battle with ill health, but, inspired by Matt, is determined to keep trying. Low-keyed but thoroughly enjoyable. --Steven Engelfried, Alameda County Library, CA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Walker Books Ltd (April 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0744523125
• ISBN-13: 978-0744523126
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces

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