Publisher's Synopsis
Sophmore Shelly Kilpatrick fears the life she knows is over when she learns her father's job has the family moving to Cape Town, South Africa for one year. Her sister, Mei, is fine with this, but what does a five-year-old know? As the family prepares for the move, Shelly continues with life as usual at Jackson High School. But soon the dreaded day arrives and good-byes are said. Expecting the worse, Shelly leaves the familiar behind to live in a place thousands of miles away. What will life be like in South Africa? Adjustments to a new school, different culture, and new friends feed into the theme of nothing ever stays the same. Eventually, Shelly learns how to let go of her fears and treats the unknown as an adventure.
Sprinkled throughout Ride the Wave are teenage issues of jealousy, rivalry, and new love. This realistic fiction story is not only fast moving and humorous, but also reflects the colors, smells, sights, and sounds of South Africa. -Freddie Remza
