The Little Wave

Author(s): Pip Harry

Children's Fiction

A moving and heartwarming verse novel from CBCA shortlisted author Pip Harry about friendship, new experiences and staying true to yourself.


When a Manly school sets out to bring a country class to the city for a beach visit, three very different kids find each other and themselves.


Noah is fearless in the surf. So where does his courage go when his best mate pushes him around?


Lottie loves collecting facts about bugs, but she doesn't know what to do about her dad filling their lonely house with junk.


Jack wants to be a cricket star, but first he has to improve at school. Especially if he wants to see the ocean for the first time.


Product Information

Teaching Resources

CBCA WINNER 2020:Book of the Year: Younger Readers

CBCA Review:Expertly written in verse form, the story revolves around three plausible, three-dimensional characters who alternate their narration. Primary school children, they have been given an assignment by their teachers to write to a pen pal and thus the two contrasting settings, a beautiful surfing beach and a remote outback town, serve to highlight the challenges which the children experience. The story flows smoothly with the three plots becoming increasingly interwoven, creating complex layers and parallels: Lottie is dealing with her father’s grief and consequent hoarding, Noah is being bullied by his ‘best friend’ and Jack is challenged by his family’s poverty and his mother’s addiction. There are themes of grief, family, bullying and poverty which are explored with an overarching theme of supporting each other through connection: Jack and Lottie have aunts who support the family; Lottie’s and Noah’s dads connect to provide emotional stability. The plot development is compelling and the inclusion of the pen pal letters is a clever device to add information and enhance the connections. The cover is colourful and appealing.

Pip Harry is the author of young adult novels I'll Tell You Mine, Head of the River and Because of You, which was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards; the Children's Book Council of Australia - Book of the Year, Older Readers; and the Queensland Literary Awards. She currently lives and writes in Singapore.

www.pipharry.com

General Fields

  • : 9780702260476
  • : University of Queensland Press
  • : University of Queensland Press
  • : 0.24
  • : May 2019
  • : 1.8 Centimeters X 13 Centimeters X 19.6 Centimeters
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : 823.4
  • : Paperback
  • : Pip Harry