Holding Back
Published on 2. July 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
112 pages
978-1-76111-254-6 (ISBN)
Description
This book was written to represent homeschoolers and the lesser known sport of campdrafting, as
well as to encourage teenagers who feel insecure socially that it is worth making the effort to break
out of their comfort zone. It provides an authentic look at a homeschooled male teen who needs to
learn to challenge himself, in sports, in life, and in his social skills.
Nick is a fifteen-year-old boy whose best friend is his little sister, and tends to be a bit of a loner.
While Nick is the older brother Nick finds that his little sister does better in the sport of campdrafting
than he does. He tends to get nervous, makes hasty decisions and stuffs up. He feels awkward around
the other competitors. But Nick decides to join a local swim squad, he wants to challenge himself to
make some friends. Along the way he discovers he's a competitive breaststroker, and works out how
to fit in with a mixed group of teens, growing more independent in the process. The other 4 teens have
a variety of personalities - a super friendly guy, super self-confident guy, and two girls, one who
becomes very interested in campdrafting and later asks Nick for riding lessons. He becomes good
friends with one of the guys and goes to his place to ride motorbikes. The new mates come to see him
compete at a campdraft. He is more relaxed with the other competitors this time, and is more
successful in the competition.
This book is unlike most others on the market, and will appeal because of its unique nature. Many
teens may have wondered about homeschooling. Campdrafting is a unique Australian sport that many
may not have heard of. Actual homeschoolers will feel validated to see themselves represented
positively in literature.
well as to encourage teenagers who feel insecure socially that it is worth making the effort to break
out of their comfort zone. It provides an authentic look at a homeschooled male teen who needs to
learn to challenge himself, in sports, in life, and in his social skills.
Nick is a fifteen-year-old boy whose best friend is his little sister, and tends to be a bit of a loner.
While Nick is the older brother Nick finds that his little sister does better in the sport of campdrafting
than he does. He tends to get nervous, makes hasty decisions and stuffs up. He feels awkward around
the other competitors. But Nick decides to join a local swim squad, he wants to challenge himself to
make some friends. Along the way he discovers he's a competitive breaststroker, and works out how
to fit in with a mixed group of teens, growing more independent in the process. The other 4 teens have
a variety of personalities - a super friendly guy, super self-confident guy, and two girls, one who
becomes very interested in campdrafting and later asks Nick for riding lessons. He becomes good
friends with one of the guys and goes to his place to ride motorbikes. The new mates come to see him
compete at a campdraft. He is more relaxed with the other competitors this time, and is more
successful in the competition.
This book is unlike most others on the market, and will appeal because of its unique nature. Many
teens may have wondered about homeschooling. Campdrafting is a unique Australian sport that many
may not have heard of. Actual homeschoolers will feel validated to see themselves represented
positively in literature.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Australia
Publishing group
Wombat Books
Target group
Young adult
Reading Age: From 12 to 18 years, Interest Age: From 12 to 18 years
Product notice
Saddle-stitched
Laminated cover
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
181 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-76111-254-6 (9781761112546)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Frances Prentice is a mother of six,
including one stillborn, who lives with her husband and two youngest children
on a cattle property in rural Queensland. She juggles her writing with home
schooling, tutoring and running a home school co-op. She loves creating stories
with young people and is planning to self-publish works she has co-written with
young authors. She has a passion for helping people with reading and writing
difficulties so they can experience the joy she has had in literature. She is
an avid reader of middle-grade and young adult fiction, who first dreamt of
being an author at the age of eight. She always thought she would be
middle-aged when she began this career, once she had some life experience.
Frances has been shortlisted twice in
Furious Fiction by Australian Writers Centre in 2023. Her short story Uplifted was included in the anthology The Opposite of Disappearing (2021) and I am Vine in Audrey Puzzle Magazine
(2020). Her ballad, Love at First Sigh
was included in the anthology Tell 'em
They're Dreaming (2020). Always Your Sister is her first
middle-grade novel, releasing in 2025.
including one stillborn, who lives with her husband and two youngest children
on a cattle property in rural Queensland. She juggles her writing with home
schooling, tutoring and running a home school co-op. She loves creating stories
with young people and is planning to self-publish works she has co-written with
young authors. She has a passion for helping people with reading and writing
difficulties so they can experience the joy she has had in literature. She is
an avid reader of middle-grade and young adult fiction, who first dreamt of
being an author at the age of eight. She always thought she would be
middle-aged when she began this career, once she had some life experience.
Frances has been shortlisted twice in
Furious Fiction by Australian Writers Centre in 2023. Her short story Uplifted was included in the anthology The Opposite of Disappearing (2021) and I am Vine in Audrey Puzzle Magazine
(2020). Her ballad, Love at First Sigh
was included in the anthology Tell 'em
They're Dreaming (2020). Always Your Sister is her first
middle-grade novel, releasing in 2025.