Science of Surfing

The Science of Surfing

Top Shelf Productions 2021

By Kim Dwinell

The ocean is packed with plants, animals, water... and science! Ride the waves of knowledge with Sam and Jade as they explain all about the amazing wonders of the sea, and have a blast doing it.

This is the kind of book that combines science, see education, with narrative storytelling so that it holds our interest as we learn. I hate to say it but in a classroom with its outdated methods it barely holds any interest to hear the teacher droning on and on, though I guess technology has made an impact though being an old timer I have no clue how school is taught these days. Regardless, this is how I’d want to learn. Everything is told in a clear, concise manner so that you learn while you are being entertained and if you can have those done simultaneously then you’ve hit a home run as a creator.

I’m also pretty impressed with this being the length, see page count, that it is, with its table of contents and how we learn about so much more than merely surfing. While conditions are important, so too is the life you’ll encounter while in the ocean. So it is really nice to see the bigger, wider picture here instead of focusing or zeroing in on one singular item.

I am absolutely loving the way that this is being told. Instead of a normal story & plot development we see more of a textbook approach that just so happens to have the girls going through and talking about one of their favourite subjects. So it’s really more focused on the character development being infectious and sharing the drier, more boring aspects without them seeming like they are forcing you to learn. To me this is like a great detective show that shows you the cops process as he’s going about solving a crime but doesn’t beat you over the head with it and makes you seriously consider trying your hand at being a detective. This has that exact same effect upon the reader.

How we see this being structured is really extraordinarily well done. The chapters flow in ways that make sense and once you see one aspect you move onto the next. This is done so you will have a better, fuller understanding of not only the joy and thrill of being a surfer or in the ocean but how to care for the space as well as protect you from anything harmful or should something unforeseen happen. This really prepares you in ways that I found exceptionally well thought out.

The interiors here are completely and utterly charming. This is an illustrated story and as such we get to see everything as an example of what is being said. It very much has this Shel Siverstein or Jack & Jill Magazine quality to it that is endearing, informative and accurate without it being creepy or scary. Also seeing two best friends telling this story and getting to see them as we do really sets this apart because there are so many moments that you can look at how they are posed and think oh yeah this looks accurate to me. There is so much to love about this visually and it’s just as important in drawing your eye to the places and moments that contain words and/or formulae that need to be spotlighted.

This is great for the kids and preteens in your life to get them not only excited about science but for the ocean, surfing and so much more. While the girls here show that young women and science are cool together it really is a much broader gender neutral subject. I also like a few other aspects of this book, if you are going to find a hobby it’s best to research it and learn about it from multiple aspects and angles and don’t ever be afraid of the science involved in it. Using our noggins is so much easier than folks realise and when it's something you care about or are passionate about learning the science comes that much more naturally.

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This exceeds any and all expectations that I have and honestly a series like this could be utilised in the classroom to motivate kids to learn.