The wave everyone fears has a name: the Beast. To young Maya, its roar is not only frightening. It is beautiful.
Maya and the Beast is a fairy-tale-like picture book inspired by professional big-wave surfer Maya Gabeira. As a child, Maya feels shy and sometimes fragile, especially because of asthma, but in the water she feels brave, strong, and fully herself. While others warn her away from the enormous wave near town, Maya dreams of facing it with her pink surfboard and a determined heart.
This empowering story celebrates courage, persistence, and girls in sports without losing its magical, ocean-swept feeling. It is a stirring choice for readers who enjoy adventure, surfing, and stories about meeting fear with strength.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Maya feels most alive in the sea. Dolphins, turtles, and whales all seem to teach her something about strength, calm, and courage.
Maya Makes Waves follows a young ocean lover whose happiness begins in the water. But when Maya notices plastic pollution and damaged coral, the ocean no longer feels only magical. It feels like a place that needs help. Inspired by professional surfer and ocean advocate Maya Gabeira, the story shows how love for nature can grow into action.
This conservation-themed picture book is ideal for readers who care about animals, beaches, and the blue world beyond the shore. It celebrates wonder first, then gently invites children to think about protecting the ocean home shared by people and marine life.
6-8 Years
44 Pages
