Author(s): Lisa Carrington; Scott Pearson

NZ Children & Young Adult | Nielsen Indie Top 10

There’s a big surf competition coming up. Eight-year-old Lisa is determined to take part, but she’s scared. Will she be good enough? What if she comes last? Her coach and family and the top paddler, Māia, encourage her, so she sets up a training programme, improves, and soon she’s on Māia’s tail. But days before the competition, disaster strikes when her canoe is swamped and she’s tipped out and held under by a wave. Lisa’s shaken up and invents a reason not to train the next day. So her mum suggests going to the river. Being in the warmth, feeling the earth and hearing the sound of gentle water and birds calms Lisa, and as she voices her fears, her self-belief slowly returns. The day of the competition arrives, and the waves are huge. Lisa’s unsure but remembers all she was told by her family and coach. She paddles out, focuses on the race and soars home on a massive wave, just behind Māia, in her best race ever.