A first peek at Raffy’s First Wave
BEHIND THE BOOK · BY JAMES SHANG
A new friend. A moving slide. A little courage to try again.
Raffy knows mud. Waves are another story! When Willa introduces him to Dazza the dolphin, the new friends discover a shared love of spectacular jumps and enormous splashes.
Then Dazza mentions surfing. Raffy can’t wait to try—but learning something new isn’t always easy. With Sarge’s patient coaching and Dazza beside him, can Raffy find the courage for another little try?
A little look inside
From the opening of Raffy’s First Wave
“Raffy!” called Willa. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Raffy lifted his head from the muddy bank. An enormous grey back rose from the channel.
PFFFT!
“This is Dazza,” said Willa. “We met at the beach.”
“G’day, mate!”
Raffy stared. “You’re the biggest fish I’ve ever seen. Where are your scales?”
“Haven’t got any. I’m a dolphin! A mammal, actually.”
“A very splashy one,” added Willa.
Dazza took a breath through the hole on top of his head.
Raffy leaned closer. “You breathe through THERE?”
“Through my blowhole, yep. Into my lungs.”
Raffy slipped into the shallows, swam a little circle, then clambered back onto the bank.
Dazza watched him go. “Willa told me you could do that. Reckon I had to see it!”
“Wait till you see him slide,” said Willa.
“But how do you breathe up there?” asked Dazza.
“My gills help. My skin too, as long as I stay wet.”
Raffy wriggled into the damp mud.
“Plenty of wet mud,” said Willa. “He’s usually covered in it.”
A question to share
Raffy loves his muddy bank, while Dazza swims in the channel. What might each friend be able to teach the other?
Bring the adventure home
Discover the splash challenges, muddy mishaps and first wave still to come. Available in paperback, on Kindle, or signed by James with an optional handwritten dedication.
Signed copies are A$24.95, including standard worldwide postage.