A Kiss in Every Wave
What would it be like to be trapped in an empty world that seemed to have no future or end? Where would you go in your mind? How would you react if you were 14 and your Grandma who has dementia came to live in your room?
Themes: Alzheimer's Disease, family life, swimming, World War 2 love letters and kissing codes
Published 2001
Lothian Books
Australia
Out of Print. Copies are still available in libraries and schools or second hand online
What people are saying
A Kiss in Every Wave is a great book with a whole gamut of emotions. I laughed, I cried, I felt despair, I felt longing, I felt hope. It was a very personal experience.
Carole Carroll, literary booking agent
A Kiss in Every Wave is about relationships ... all are portrayed with sensitivity, empathy and deep understanding, but this portrayal is also enriched and lightened by the humour. A sensitive, beautifully written story about a family learning to live with the effects that Alzheimer's has... this story has been written from the heart. It is a rare story indeed, filled with people who matter, dreams to be shared, troubles to be lightened and hopes to be realised.
Eleanor Kilpin, Teacher/Librarian
Rosanne Hawke has built a tender story around the wrenching of family ties adding a little gentle mystery with the old kissing codes "SWALK, BOLTOP" that used to ride the flaps of letters between loved ones.
Katharine England
A Kiss in Every Wave explores many worthwhile concepts. It will provide a valuable starting point for discussion or research about ageing and Alzheimer's. It also broaches family relationships, peer group pressure, adolescence, death and our responsibilities to other people. I highly recommend A Kiss in Every Wave.
Margaret Barrett Lennard, Brookton DHS
Jessie and Jacqui's frustrated love is well detailed. The humorous episodes are particularly well done, especially those involving Granny's cat and Jessies' young brother. Most poignant is Jacqui's sense of loss as her mother becomes her child.
This is a novel for thoughtful upper primary/lower secondary readers, especially those who share Jessie's problem. Jessie's developing friendships with new boy Elijah and clever student Rita shows life goes on, even amid familial chaos.
Helen Purdy, Magpies
The author's sensitive writing has enabled such issues as family relationships, illness, individual values and friendships to naturally arise. Hawke's presentation and discussion of these issues allows for understanding and appreciation of the decisions made and responses given by all the characters. Hawke draws upon human emotion and experience enabling the reader to relate, on different levels, to occurring events.
Letters are inserted into the written text at various points. This clever device assists in the creation of 'Jessie's world', drawing the reader into the story...It is a warm, heartfelt story.
Viewpoint Summer 2001 Vol 9 No 4
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