Ava Ann Appleton: Catching a Wave

Ava Ann Appleton: Catching a Wave by Wendy Harmer, illustrated by Andrea Edmonds (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-235-3

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Ava Ann Appleton and her family are travelling around Australia. In Catching a Wave, the third book in the series, the Adventurer has stopped in the seaside town of Crescent Cove. Here Ava makes new friends, learns to surf and helps clean plastic bags from the beach to make the ocean safer for the local seals.

The Ava Ann Appleton series is a highly enjoyable Australian series for seven-year-olds and up. Full of travel, exploration of new places, amazing adventures and new friendships, there is much to hold the attention of young readers. Ava is a lovely character. She has some fears to overcome along her way, but is full of life and open to new experiences and people. There is always a problem to ponder and this time it’s a universal one - the use of plastic bags in our society.

This is a well written story, simple but not shying away from the occasional larger words when they are needed. The text is evocative and the sweet illustrations add wonderfully to it, breaking up the words in the short chapters. This is perfect for readers who are just beginning to build their confidence in chapter books.

These stories are always warm and gentle. Ava would make a great friend and the Appleton family is one children will enjoy spending time with.