Fiction - Age 10 up

NZ Writer

Susan Battye

Cup Magic

My New Zealand Story series

Scholastic   2013   $18.95pb  224 pages

ISBN 978 1 7754 3028 5

Themes:   America’s Cup Challenge 1995/ Diaries/ Grandparents/ Peter Blake/ Takapuna, Auckland/ Team New Zealand

Eleven-year-old Mike cannot understand why his parents have sent him away from home to stay with his grandparents  - especially as this is his first year at intermediate.  However, the reason they needed him ‘out of the way’ was not what had seemed to him the possible disintegration of their marriage but the beginning of a totally exciting and adventurous experience. His parents, both enthusiastic sailors, have become involved in preparations for Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup Challenge 1995, are about to go to San Diego for the race and, at the last moment, Mike is to go with them. The first half of the book tends to drag a bit where Mike and his friend, Hone, learn to sail and we read about the many preparations needed for the challenge. However, the second part has some very exciting pieces and would read aloud well.

Year 6 up/ Age 10 up