Description
Uncle Xbox is now in a relationship with Lil, and Dusty is jealous of having to share their time together. The positive is that Taj, Lil’s son, challenges Dusty in the surf and helps him to regain his confidence.
Dusty makes the state soccer team and with Lil’s encouragement, surfs heats in Adelaide and gains entry in the Bells Beach Classic Surf Competition. The only problem he’s still terrified of surfing big waves. Can he push through his fear to be the best?
A coming-of-age story that explores the importance of male role models for young men and overcoming your fears. A great book for reluctant readers.
Review
This is the third novel in the marvellous Uncle Xbox series, that can also be read as a standalone tale.
Dusty, now thirteen, is doing really well. So much so, that he has been selected for the state soccer tournament in Adelaide, and made it through to the annual Bells Beach Classic surfing competition - on the same weekend!
He is influenced by a few important people in his life. There is his old friend Diego, who loves watching him doing amazing plays in soccer games, but also loves the way that he seems to dance on water when he surfs. Uncle Xbox is still there, but he now has a new girlfriend, Lil and her son Taj, who take up a lot of Uncle’s time. It turns out Lil was a surf pro before Taj was born, and she encourages Dusty and gives him great tips to make him a better surfer.
So when Uncle Xbox tells him that the money to go to Victoria for the surf comp won’t be a problem as they are already going, Dusty thinks that he should give that a try. This is a perfect plan, until he arrives at Bells Beach and sees the size of the waves, and memories of his previous wipeout have him panicking. Can he overcome his fears?
This is a terrific series, ideal for lower secondary students. It looks at life as a successful young First Nations person, connecting with Country and being mentored by strong male elders. It also shows that although families can change, you don’t always lose people - and sometimes you can even gain new people that you can welcome into your life. It combines sport with relationships, fear, family, and mentorship to be a powerful voice to young Australians. This is an uplifting read that is best suited to readers aged from 11 to 14 years.
