Jay can’t believe it. He has woken up in hospital, learning he has been in a coma for nearly four weeks. He remembers being in the water at the beach, with his dad not far away. This is how it had always been. Him and Dad together, surfing and hanging out in their seaside town in France.

The doctors tell him he has had multiple surgeries for his injuries. Jay’s not even sure what injuries he has, just that he is glad for the pain relief and the sleepiness that rolls over him. He soon learns he has a wound from his neck to his leg where something sliced him open. Dad doesn’t want to talk about it, and every time the ‘accident’ is mentioned, he quickly diverts to something else.

All Jay can remember is something large coming at him. Red water and someone screaming. When he finally does learn what happened that day in the water, he feels he can put more pieces together, allowing him to concentrate on his recovery and healing.

Still, Dad will not discuss it, and Jay can understand it. It would’ve been horrible for anyone watching it happen from the beach. Dad is keen to put the whole thing behind him, but seems to be distracted. When Jay finally leaves the hospital, it isn’t home to his friends and the home he and his dad share. They are moving – to a completely different country!

Jess loves and hates the waves in equal measure. She loves to watch her older twin brother and sister in their surfing school, riding the waves with all the wannabe surfers, but hates the fact she can’t join in. Ever since she had a close call in the water when she was very little, her family have been super over the top protective. It is driving her crazy.

Jay and Jess meet one night at an annual town beach festival. Jess is alone after falling out with her friends over a misunderstanding, and Jay has just arrived in their small Irish coastal town. Both lonely, they discover they enjoy each other’s company. Jess is still suffering from her friend’s ostracism and her family’s no-surf-for-Jess-rules, and Jay is still trying to piece together the day his life changed that sunny day back in France. Together, they give each other the strength they each need – resulting in Jay’s life changing again, and the truth that shatters his trust in his father.

But someone brand new to his family helps Jay see that although his treasured life and trust with his dad in France is gone, a brand new life awaits him.

Another gem from this talented author! Sarah Moore-Fitzgerald has a wonderful way with story, taking something out of the ordinary and turning it into a tale to immerse yourself in. A secret is always engaging, and clues are dropped a little at a time for the reader as main character Jay struggles to remember what put him in a coma for weeks and hospital for months.

Jay has only ever had his father in his life who then whisks him away from all he knows. Watching Jay build new relationships is difficult, but blunt, blabber-mouth Jess is fun, honest, loyal and the friend Jay needs to help him deal with the burgeoning realisation his trusted father is not telling him the truth about something that nearly took his life.

Learning your parents are not perfect is a coming-of-age story all in itself, so The Shark and the Scar has all the makings of a great middle-grade read. It is told in both viewpoints of 13 year olds Jess and Jay with clearly marked chapter headings.

Author – Sarah Moore-Fitzgerald

Age – 9+

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(2022, Hachette, Animals, Dog, Surfing, Beach, Sea, Ocean, Shark, Secrets, France, Ireland, Moving, New Home, New friends, Truth, Lies, Relationships, Hospital, Therapist, Scar)