boy and the whale shark

Ben has always wanted to be part of the Kayaking Club, but he has a secret skin condition which makes him too self-conscious and scared of being bullied. Then he meets and befriends a mysterious whale shark who helps him realise: Who you are inside is more important than what you look like on the outside.This brilliant and touching debut by Cayla Lewis was inspired by her own lived experiences as a child with a chronic skin condition.Ben wou nog altyd deel van die kajakklub wees, maar hy het ’n geheime veltoestand wat hom selfbewus en bang maak om geboelie te word. Toe ontmoet hy ’n geheimsinnige walvishaai wat hom help besef: Wie jy binne is, is belangriker as hoe jy aan die buitekant lyk.Hierdie briljante en aangrypende debuut deur Cayla Lewis is geïnspireer deur haar eie lewenservarings as ’n kind met ’n chroniese velsiekte.

Cayla is a children's book writer and illustrator based in Cape Town, where she resides with her husband and their rescue border collie, Ziggy. Living on a smallholding surrounded by the ocean, mountains, and nature, Cayla draws inspiration from her picturesque environment. Through her creative process, Cayla aims to spark curiosity and imagination in the hearts of young readers.The boy and the whale shark is Cayla's debut middle grade novel.