The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn
by Sally J. Pla
🏆 Winner 2024 Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grade
Maudie, who is autistic, lives for summer holidays with her father in the mountain cabin he has built, but this year they are forced by wildfire to evacuate to a beach town. There, Maudie is drawn to surfing but scared to try. Burdened by secrets and her mother’s expectations, can she overcome her fears and transform her sense of self-worth?