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PASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Tag: Swimming

Book Review: Fish Kid

April 25, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Fish Kid series – Walker Books Australia –  Published 2019, 2020, 2021

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Synopsis

Faster than a speeding mullet … stronger than a bull shark … it’s Fish Kid!

Be sure to take a deep breath before you dive into this hilarious ocean-packed adventure.

My thoughts

Fish Kid is a delightful series, full of adventure and wonderful marine animals. A touch of the magical and illustrations alongside large text bring these adventures to life for young readers.

I was delighted by these books and found I couldn’t stop reading them, quickly working through all three books in the series.

Bodhi is the fish kid. In the first book on the series he gets some pretty cool powers that enable him to stay under water for a long time and swim super fast. He lives with his marine scientist father and nature photographer mother as they explore the oceans of the world. The first book is set in the waters off the Galápagos Islands. Despite his parents love of all things sea, Bodhi isn’t into swimming and do you know how many dangerous sea creature are out there? Lots. But when Bodhi discovers his new swimming abilities and has to use his skills to help save his new friend, and maybe even stop some poachers along the way. He quickly learns to love the ocean and all its wonderful creatures.

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Book Review: Infinite Blue

August 3, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Infinite Blue – Darren Groth and Simon Groth – Orca Book Publishers – Published 11 September 2018

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Synopsis

Ashley Drummond is an elite swimmer. Clayton Sandalford is a talented artist. From the  moment of their first meeting, they were destined to be together.

Staying together, however, will test the limits of their love. A world-record swim, and the strange vision that accompanies it, raises questions about the couple’s connection.

Then a life-altering incident triggers a mystical change, which will demand that both of them let go in ways never imagined.

My thoughts

Just like its cover, Infinite Blue is beautiful, ethereal and just a little bit magic. Mixing fantasy with realism, Infinite Blue is an epic love story about accepting your destiny and letting go.

The day Ashley and Clayton meet seems fated. Ashley appears almost out of nowhere to save Clayton’s life. As Ashley’s swimming career progresses to new heights, Clayton is her steadfast support. Yet as they face the challenges of time and distance they promise each other forever. Yet, neither could predict the impact that a terrible accident will have or the ways in which they will both have to let go.

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Book Review: Coming Up For Air

June 29, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Coming Up For Air – Miranda Kenneally – Hundred Oaks – Sourcebooks Fire – Published 4 July 2017

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Synopsis

Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.

All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic try out, so she feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to lose to win?

My thoughts

I fondly remember reading Catching Jordan – my first book by Miranda Kenneally. Since then I have greatly enjoyed her Hundred Oaks series. Coming Up for Air brings us almost full circle, once again providing a best-friends romance set against elite sport and coming of age issues.

Maggie’s life revolves around swimming. It has to if she wants to make it to an Olympics trial this year. Fortunately she has friends who are also athletes and understand that training comes first. Her best friend Levi is also a swimmer and they spend most of their time together, training, eating, and training some more. But a trip to her chosen college leaves Maggie feeling a little behind in the social department. Determined to stay focused on swimming and beating her rival, but also wanting to experiment a little she asks Levi for some guidance. But neither she nor Levi are prepared for the change it sparks in their relationship.

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Book Review: Goldfish

September 22, 2016 / / 2 Comments

goldfish

Goldfish – Nat Luurtsema – Feiwel & Friends – Published 7 June 2016

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Girl Out of Water – Nat Luurtsema – Walker Books – Published 2 June 2016

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Synopsis

Lou Brown is one of the fastest swimmers in the county. She’s not boasting, she really is. So things are looking pretty rosy the day of the Olympic time-trials. With her best mate Hannah by her side, Lou lines up by the edge of the pool, snaps her goggles on and bends into her dive… 

Everything rests on this race. It’s Lou’s thing.

… or it was. She comes dead last and to top it all off Hannah sails through leaving a totally broken Lou behind.

Starting again is never easy, particularly when you’re the odd-one out in a family of insanely beautiful people and a school full of social groups way too intimidating to join. Where do you go from here? Finding a new thing turns out to be the biggest challenge Lou’s ever faced and opens up a whole new world of underwater somersaults, crazy talent shows, bitchy girls and a great big load of awkward boy chat.

My thoughts

There are some books that touch you deeply, other books intrigue and still others make you question life and starting looking at things from another angle. And then there are books, like Goldfish (AKA Girl Out of Water), that just make you happy. I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing while reading this book. There wasn’t a moment I didn’t love, it was such a pleasure to read. I’ve got to give Goldfish five stars for re-readability and genuine hilarity.

Lou just came last in the biggest swimming race of her life. Now, gone are the early morning, lunchtime and after school training sessions. Gone is the elitist swim camp. Gone are her Olympic dreams. Gone too is her best friend – off to the aforementioned swim camp. Lou has a lot of spare time on her hands now and a new-found lack of popularity. So when a group of popular and gorgeous boys ask her to help train them, she surprises herself by agreeing.

Now, note in my synopsis I don’t mention synchronised swimming like the book’s official summary does? That’s because the guys are a little less synchronised swim team and more group of boys who want to be on Britain’s Hidden Talent TV show and didn’t get through as dancers and so decide to take their dancing talent underwater. As I said, hilarity.

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