Review (and Giveaway): Surf School, by Laurine Croasdale

Surf School, by Laurine Croasdale

Release Date: 2007
Publisher: Pan Macmillian Australia
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 213
Overall: 3 & 1/2 Monkeys
Source: Publisher
Interest: Series
Other Titles in the Series: Surf Sisters

Fifteen-year-old Tilly, Fran, Marlee and Pink are surfer girls.

They have been meeting for the first surf of the season every year since they first met at the surf school run by Tilly’s dad, Phil, when they were eight.

Phil has big plans for the surf school this year, but when he is injured in a hit-and-run accident, everything suddenly seems uncertain.

While Phil languishes in hospital and the police track his attacker, Tilly is determined to realise his plans and keep the surf school open. To do this, she needs all the help she can get from her friends.

But Marlee is training for the surfing competition to win a new board and beat the moody Kyle, Pink is warring with her parents and intrigued by the stranger Kim, and Fran is busy making jewellery.

My Opinion:

Reading this book made me want to go to Australia and surf with the girls! Tilly, Marlee, Pink and Fran, all fifteen-year-olds, are great friends and really cool surfers!

We begin this book reading Tilly's and Marlee's Blood Book. This is their secret book, where they put all their hopes, dreams and fears. It's really special to them and it reminds me of when I was younger, because my friends and I kept a journal very much like the Blood Book.

It's summer and it all seems to be going well with the girls, Tilly and Marlee are getting ready to enter a competition, and the Surf School, the one that brought them together, is doing okay. Until Phil, Tilly's dad, gets run over by a car. He's seriously injured and Tilly and her brother Sam are left to take care of the School.

Pink meets a handsome guy, very mysterious, and she's smitten by him.

Fran, I think she lacked the background the other had. Maybe I'll learn more about her in Surf Sisters, the sequel to Surf School.

There are also some boys here, of course, two of the girls' love interests: Kyle, surf-know-it-all and somewhat bully in the water and Jamie, sweet guy who's fallen for someone who pays him zero attention. We'll want to punch Kyle in the face sometimes, and go awww for Jamie when he gets crestfallen.

The pressure Tilly's been handling starts hurting her friendship with the girls, even with her older brother. She thinks she's alone, and refuses to talk to Marlee.

A big misunderstanding leads the girls to stop talking, and this is very painful for all of them.

The resolution of the book was very well delivered, and I can't wait to read Surf Sisters!

I'd recommend this book to: teen surfers, kids who have to deal with adult situations.

I really think anyone would enjoy this quick read!

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I've been offered to host a giveaway for both Surf School AND Surf Sisters. I've posted the giveaway before, but wanted to give it more publicity. Those who've already entered don't have to re-enter.
This is open Internationally and ends on May 25th.