From surfing legend Maya Gabeira comes this awe-inspiring memoir for teens about chartering your own course and making wavesBeyond the Board is the untold story of living legend Maya Gabeira who—at 25—broke her back and went on not only to recover but to hold the record for highest wave conquered by any big-wave surfer in the 2019–2020 winter season. Gabeira has been heralded as one of the top surfers of her generation, male or female—a legend in the making. But who is the ferocious personality beyond the board? Gabeira’s memoir will chronicle her journey from a determined yet anxiety-plagued adolescent to the indomitable champion, Guinness World Record–holder, and role model she is today. Often called “Super Woman of surfing,� Gabeira didn’t pick up a board until age 15; before that, she was a ballet dancer. Just two years later, she left her home in Rio de Janeiro in order to chase waves around the world, toting a single backpack and waiting tables to get by. As a teen, Gabeira carved her own path, and her story is a remarkable one: a passion-driven young woman who learned never to flinch—even in the face of death.

A fairy tale of big waves and even bigger courage, inspired by the personal story of professional surfer Maya Gabeira, who smashed records and gender stereotypesYoung Maya is shy and often feels fragile and scared because of her asthma, except when she's in the water-it's the one place where she feels strong. While everyone else in her town is scared of "the Beast," the giant wave heard all around the world as it crashes into the shoreline, Maya finds the noise comforting, the curves of the wave soothing. If she could only tame it, then everyone could see all the beauty it has to offer. With a pink surfboard and a determined heart, Maya will be the first girl to meet the Beast head-on. Professional surfer Maya Gabeira, known for surfing Guinness World Record-breaking big waves, shares her story of resilience, defying expectations of women in sports, and daring to achieve the impossible. Beautifully illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, Maya and the Beast is an empowering reminder that every fear can be conquered and every Beast can be tamed.