Last wave - Paul Hayden

Seventeen-year-old Owl loves the surf, is passionate about his friends, and tolerates his mother's tennis friends, whom he calls the teabags! He's laid up with an injured foot, the result of a surfing accident, giving him too much time to think. Mainly to think about surfing (what if he can never surf again?), but also to fantasize about Hayley Churchill, the 'goddess' sister of his good mate, and to mourn the fact that one by one his mates are growing up and away in varying ways. The surf is still important, but careers, relationships and, for some, drugs, are all beckoning. Owl figures he's the only one who still wants the surf, who's still a virgin, and who loves the girl next door. But when Hayley is killed while joyriding with one of Owl's mates - while Owl was supposed to be looking after her - his whole life is turned on its head. Guilt, grief, the loss of innocence - it's all crashing down on top of him! Owl has to face up to the future, losing his childhood and the surf ...