A coming-of-age novel in verse set in 1980s Southern California, about a Persian American girl who rides the waves, falls, and finds her way back to the shore.  

Thirteen-year-old Ava loves to surf and to sing. Singing and reading Rumi poems settle her mild OCD, and catching waves with her best friend, Phoenix, lets her fit in—her olive skin looks tan, not foreign. But then Ava has to spend the summer before ninth grade volunteering at the hospital, to follow in her single mother’s footsteps to become a doctor. And when Phoenix’s past lymphoma surges back, not even surfing, singing, or poetry can keep them afloat, threatening Ava’s hold on the one place and the one person that make her feel like she belongs. 

With ocean-like rhythm and lyricism, Wave is about a girl who rides the waves, tumbles, and finds her way back to the shore.   

PRAISE FOR WAVE

“Processing her feelings through music empowers Ava and gives her a new understanding of home and the connections she shares with others. Raw and powerful, this free verse novel honestly explores issues of identity, culture, grief, and hope... Rich, layered, and heart-rending.” 

     — Kirkus Reviews

“A lyrical novel in verse bearing the weight of childhood cancer and loss, but also with the lift of coming into one’s own as an early teen and finding the right wave to ride. A solid addition to middle school libraries; encourage older readers to take a chance on it, as well.”

     — School LIbrary Journal Review

”Farid’s poetry rides the page like a wave, charting the ups and downs of Ava’s emotions. . .The verse format makes this text extremely accessible, and readers will be delighted to find elements of Ava’s Persian heritage and 1980s childhood also woven throughout.“

     — School Library Journal‘s Best of 2022

“Farid brings her expertise as an MD to Ava’s story, simplifying the complexity of lymphoma while packing an emotional punch with the musical references that Ava uses to cope.”

     — ALA - Booklist

“Diana Farid crafts an honest and often profound coming-of-age narrative about 13-year-old Ava, a surfer whose best friend’s cancer has returned.”

     — BookPage

“Wave is everything a verse novel for young readers should be. The story of first-generation Persian-American Ava, caught between her family’s expectations and her own love for surfing, singing, and her friends, is engrossing in its own right. The ancient poet Rumi features prominently within Wave. This is perfect for the narrative as Rumi is both Persian and a poet. His poems are effectively woven in and mentioned by Ava throughout the book. Prejudice, divorce, parental pressure, and grief are balanced beautifully by the brightness of poetry, mixtapes and music, and most of all beloved friends and the joy of riding the waves. “I fall with the song / into the hollow / of the wave, / as it covers me with its curl. / We ride the barrel toward the light.” Having this story told in poems full of beautiful language, careful formatting, and clear voice makes it even better. Poetry and life blend together to make a strong, moving whole that speaks to the universal theme of growing up while still being a story of one unique, captivating heroine.”

     — Cybils Awards

“Written in luminous narrative verse, Wave by Diana Farid and Kris Goto (Abrams Cameron Kids, £13.99) beautifully captures the rhythm of ocean waves and the power of poetry. Thirteen-year-old Ava is a keen surfer in 1980s California, grappling with OCD, the pressure to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and a community that shuns her for her Persian heritage. Then her best friend’s cancer returns, and Ava can barely keep herself afloat. This is an achingly beautiful story which highlights the power of music and poetry to provide comfort and belonging in difficult times. Complete with playlists, poems by Rumi and brilliant illustrations by Kris Goto, Wave offers a rich story told with masterful precision and lyricism.”

     — The Scotsman 

“This book is actually hard for me to write about because it is just so beautiful in all the right ways. It is full of so many emotions, beautiful writing, important topics, characterization, and 80s references. The author’s inclusion of such a specific setting and pop culture references could have easily turned off a reader, but Farid seamlessly blends it into Ava’s story to where it is all part of one amazing package. A package that includes a lot but that is because a 14 year old Persian girl growing up in California would have dealt with a lot: identity, self-love vs. loathing, immigrant experience, expectations, friendship, hobbies, school, racism, family… and on top of that Ava has Phoenix’s and (my favorite character) Room 509’s health to think about, her own broken leg, surfing, music, and a single parent. Add to all of this plot poetry that is robust in its rhythm and variety in a way that makes reading the book an experience, a wonderful reading experience.”

     — Unleashing Readers

“MG readers take note! This is a book you’ll want for your readers (and you too)! This gorgeous novel in verse will have you holding the book close to your heart! A story of friendship, first loves, illness, and waves.“

     — Michele Knott, Literacy Specialist

“It has been a while since I read a novel in verse and I was reminded again how much I love it. This coming-of-age story about a Persian/American girl growing up over one tough summer was just so wonderful. I read it in just a couple of sittings because I needed to keep reading. The poetry was so full of meaning using very few words. The characters melted my heart…” 

     — Sincerely Stacie

”Love the brilliance of @artelixir’s writing!”

     — Kellee Moye