Surfrider: A Midwestern Odyssey Book

An Illinois farm boy fulfills his unlikely dream of becoming a surfer.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-In this novel set in the 1940s, an Illinois farm boy teaches himself to surfboard after reading a book on the Pacific Islands, and hones his skills during a trip to Lake Michigan. In style and tone, the book is reminiscent of Robert McCloskey's Homer Price (Viking, 1943). Earl, the protagonist, is the typical all-American boy of a bygone era who hates school, loves to swim, and is forever getting involved in misadventures, all under the watchful eye of his extended family and close-knit community. Like Homer, he becomes a hero after a wildly improbable escapade (the surfboard-aided rescue of a woman whose sailboat had capsized). With mom-supplied milk and cookies, wise and kindly relatives, and an idyllic setting, this is a very comforting book. The illustrations contribute significantly to the soft, hazy nostalgic atmosphere. Those who have fond memories of the "boys' novels" of the '40s and '50s will no doubt find this a pleasurable read. Today's youngsters, however, may have difficulty relating to a child whose life seems just too perfect.-Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.