Author: Steiner, Beth Poetry (Children's / Teenage)Published on 7 May 2026 by PUSHKIN PRESS (Pushkin Children's Books) in the United Kingdom.Paperback | 272 pages129 x 198 x 23 | 244g A life-affirming coming-of-age novel about friendship, family and the bittersweet beauty of growing up!For Billie, summer has always meant Pearl Beach - foaming white waves and lazy mornings, old Aunt Edith and above all, her best friend Andy. But this year, Andy is determined to grow up. Billie wants to change too, but why does growing up feel like losing their friendship forever?Then Aunt Edith gives Billie the diary she kept as a teenager. Inside is a tale of extraordinary survival - of feeling persecution and crossing oceans, of agonizing betrayal and breathtaking first love. Guided by Edith's past, can Billie find the courage to face her own future?Praise for Pearl Beach'This poetic novel flows with lyrical ease' Jamila Gavin, author of My Soul, A Shining Tree'A delightful coming-of-age verse novel' Tia Fisher, author of Crossing the Line'A stunning book that perfectly interweaves poetry and history' Gráinne O'Brien, author of Solo
