Aaron Topp writes young adult fiction, and won an Honour Award at the
2007 NZ Post Children's Book Awards' Best First Young Adult Fiction
Book for Single Fin, a page-turning novel set in the surfing
world. It was also a 2007 Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book,
and is based on a true story.
A former teacher, he now works in the
rural family business in Hawke's Bay. An avid surfer since he was 14,
Topp also compiled Creating Waves: How Surfing Inspires Our Most Creative New Zealanders,
a collection which explores the role of surfing and sea in the lives of
leading musicians, painters, sculptors, poets and writers.
On Lowly's Book Blog, Single Fin is commended: 'Just like Wendy Orr's Peeling the Onion written
as she recovered from an injury was powerful, this book has the same
powerful heartfelt resonance of truth. There is enough surfing lingo and
information to please any young male reader. . . . . The situations
ring true.'
Reviewing Creating Waves in Boat
Books, the book is described as 'full of fascinating insights into New
Zealand's surfing world' and makes you 'want to pick up the surfboard
and head for the beach'.