A children's surfing story
A little tortoise.
A very big dream.
A tortoise from Phoenix dreams of surfing in Hawaii. A colorful adventure about being yourself, working hard, and never giving up.
Written by Nick Cassinis · Illustrated by Martín Morón
Paperback $13.99 · Hardcover $18.99
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BookVault US shipping: $3.99 for one book. Free shipping on 2 or more books.
Leave a Review on AmazonRead a preview- Format & size
- Paperback & hardcover · 8.5 × 8.5 inches
- Page count
- 48 full-color pages
About the book
Gerald is a tortoise from Phoenix with a habit of doing things his own way. When his sea turtle grandpa visits from Hawaii and gives him a surfboard, Gerald begins dreaming of a place in a fourth-grade surf contest. Rex the Rhino thinks the idea is ridiculous. Gerald cannot even swim yet.
But Gerald has a plan. A summer job helps him save for the trip, swimming lessons get him into the water, and surf camp gives him a whole new world to explore. Along the way, his grandpa's advice stays with him: dream big, work hard, and don't give up.
Written by Nick Cassinis and illustrated by Martín Morón, Gerald Gets Barreled brings colorful animal characters, family encouragement, and a determined little tortoise together in a surfing adventure about working toward a dream—even when it feels far away.
A peek between the pages
Step into Gerald's world.
Meet a few of the characters and see where the adventure begins. Open a preview below; select any page to see it larger.
01 A tortoise with a different dream
Rex doubts that a tortoise could surf. Gerald has other ideas.
02 A gift from Grandpa Hoku
03 Welcome to surf camp
The people behind the pages
A story with saltwater in its heart.
Nick Cassinis · Author
Nick wrote this book while living and surfing on the island of Kauai. Born in Singapore, he has loved the ocean for as long as he can remember, and has been lucky enough to call some remarkable places home — 10+ years in Hawaii, 10+ years in Costa Rica, and 7+ years in Indonesia.
A mechanical engineer by degree, Nick believes hard work pays off and that fortune favors the bold. In his free time he loves sharing his passion for surfing and the ocean with his daughter, family, and friends. If he is not on the water chasing waves or spearfishing, he is probably on land playing pickleball.
Martín Morón · Illustrator
Martin was having breakfast at a hotel in New York City when he received an email from Nick with an exciting proposal…Read moreRead less
Martin was having breakfast at a hotel in New York City when he received an email from Nick with an exciting proposal: to illustrate and embark on this great adventure alongside Gerald. Gerald’s story excited Martin so much that it brought back memories of his childhood in Argentina, when he loved telling stories and bringing them to life through drawing and painting.
Today, Martin lives in Argentina with his family. He was an art teacher for more than ten years and now works full-time as an illustrator and writer of children’s stories. Since drawing is now his job, he has had to find a new hobby. Besides taking long walks in tree-filled places, Martin really enjoys cooking and preparing delicious things to share with his family and friends.
A few things you might be wondering
Before your next storytime.
What is Gerald Gets Barreled about?
A tortoise from Phoenix dreams of surfing in Hawaii after his sea turtle grandpa gives him a surfboard. Read along as Gerald chases big dreams and uses the wisdom and encouragement of his family to dig deep and persevere when things get tough. Follow Gerald through swimming lessons, friendships, and surf-camp adventures as he prepares for a contest.
Does my child need to know about surfing?
Gerald is learning too! His dream gives the story its setting and family encouragement, friendship, and trying something difficult are also all part of the adventure.
Where do you ship, and how are books made?
We currently ship within the United States. Shipping is $3.99 for one book and free for two or more books. Bookvault prints and ships each book from the USA.
Can I give the book as a gift?
This is the perfect gift for a child who enjoys animal characters or ocean adventures.