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Flip
Denim Davies wishes he could flip his life, just like the vintage items he sells online. He and his dad have spent a year moving from town to town and Denim feels like he’s drifting through life without an anchor.
When they arrive in the small town of Driftwood Heights, Denim doesn’t see the point of getting close to anyone when they’re just going to move again. Then he befriends Mina and his new home starts to look a little brighter. But a vintage find goes horribly wrong and Denim has a tough decision to make—one that could ruin his friendship forever.
When they arrive in the small town of Driftwood Heights, Denim doesn’t see the point of getting close to anyone when they’re just going to move again. Then he befriends Mina and his new home starts to look a little brighter. But a vintage find goes horribly wrong and Denim has a tough decision to make—one that could ruin his friendship forever.
- GenresYoung AdultContemporary
128 pages, Paperback
Published September 9, 2025
9 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Fraser
38 books56 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Rebecca Fraser lives and writes on Bunurong Land on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. By day she’s a Library Officer; by night she writes award-winning fiction for children and adults.
Her work has won and been recognised across numerous awards including Adaptable: Turning Page to Screen, The 2023 Readings Children’s Prize, Aurealis Awards, Australian Shadows Awards, Ditmars, and Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor’s Writing Award.
Rebecca’s publications include three middle grade novels, a junior fiction and young adult novel, a collection of short fiction, and over sixty short stories, poems, and articles in various anthologies, journals, and magazines.
Rebecca chairs and participates in panels at festivals and hosts author ‘in conversations’ at libraries, as well as facilitating creative writing workshops for authors of every age and ability.
She has served as a convenor and on the judging panel of nationally-recognised literary competitions, was the co-founder and now a sponsor of the national youth competition Little Stories, Big Ideas (now run by Express Media) and a proud participant in the Australian Author Pen Pals program.
Rebecca is a member of CBCA, SCBWI, ASA and Writers Victoria.
Say G’day at www.rebeccafraser.com
Rebecca Fraser lives and writes on Bunurong Land on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. By day she’s a Library Officer; by night she writes award-winning fiction for children and adults.
Her work has won and been recognised across numerous awards including Adaptable: Turning Page to Screen, The 2023 Readings Children’s Prize, Aurealis Awards, Australian Shadows Awards, Ditmars, and Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor’s Writing Award.
Rebecca’s publications include three middle grade novels, a junior fiction and young adult novel, a collection of short fiction, and over sixty short stories, poems, and articles in various anthologies, journals, and magazines.
Rebecca chairs and participates in panels at festivals and hosts author ‘in conversations’ at libraries, as well as facilitating creative writing workshops for authors of every age and ability.
She has served as a convenor and on the judging panel of nationally-recognised literary competitions, was the co-founder and now a sponsor of the national youth competition Little Stories, Big Ideas (now run by Express Media) and a proud participant in the Australian Author Pen Pals program.
Rebecca is a member of CBCA, SCBWI, ASA and Writers Victoria.
Say G’day at www.rebeccafraser.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 15, 2025
This enjoyable teen novella will surely achieve the goal to encourage reluctant readers for it's easy reading, absorbed in a day.
Denim Davies arrives at yet another new school, Driftwood Heights High, a caravan kid wearing faded hand-me-down uniform and with no books. On cue, bully Tyler calls him 'Jeans' and trips him but Mina, a girl with shaggy hair and smokey eye makeup, befriends and helps Denim. Since Mum died of cancer, life has downward spiralled for Denim and his dad Phil, in a constant move to find work.
In an effort to save for a deposit on a regular home, Denim flips op shop finds online. He faces a moral dilemma when he finds a Cartier watch at a garage sale. The snow-haired woman vaguely suggests five dollars and when she doesn't have change for a ten, Denim tells her to not worry and escapes before its owner Desmond might appear.
Mina tells Denim her family are upset that Pop's valuable watch was sold by her Nan, who has Alzheimers and must move into a home. He's in a quandary as BidderBay's latest bid is $11,356.98 with over a hundred people on the watch list. Denim realises he must delete the Cartier listing and return the watch to Mina.
Denim is furious to realise that Phil has been mentoring Tyler through his mother's cancer diagnosis. After Tyler apologises for being such a jerk and Denim realises they share a similar angry grief, he forgives him. Tyler offers to teach him to surf. 'Softtop longboards are best for beginners' and he can borrow a foamie. 'Soft and slow waves, somewhere there's a well-defined channel.'
Real-life challenges of housing crisis, health and death, bullying and isolation are presented with well defined likeable characters and sympathetic writing. This teen novella tackles major gritty life issues with a sense of hope that will uplift readers. Highly recommended.
Denim Davies arrives at yet another new school, Driftwood Heights High, a caravan kid wearing faded hand-me-down uniform and with no books. On cue, bully Tyler calls him 'Jeans' and trips him but Mina, a girl with shaggy hair and smokey eye makeup, befriends and helps Denim. Since Mum died of cancer, life has downward spiralled for Denim and his dad Phil, in a constant move to find work.
In an effort to save for a deposit on a regular home, Denim flips op shop finds online. He faces a moral dilemma when he finds a Cartier watch at a garage sale. The snow-haired woman vaguely suggests five dollars and when she doesn't have change for a ten, Denim tells her to not worry and escapes before its owner Desmond might appear.
Mina tells Denim her family are upset that Pop's valuable watch was sold by her Nan, who has Alzheimers and must move into a home. He's in a quandary as BidderBay's latest bid is $11,356.98 with over a hundred people on the watch list. Denim realises he must delete the Cartier listing and return the watch to Mina.
Denim is furious to realise that Phil has been mentoring Tyler through his mother's cancer diagnosis. After Tyler apologises for being such a jerk and Denim realises they share a similar angry grief, he forgives him. Tyler offers to teach him to surf. 'Softtop longboards are best for beginners' and he can borrow a foamie. 'Soft and slow waves, somewhere there's a well-defined channel.'
Real-life challenges of housing crisis, health and death, bullying and isolation are presented with well defined likeable characters and sympathetic writing. This teen novella tackles major gritty life issues with a sense of hope that will uplift readers. Highly recommended.
October 3, 2025
Flip is a novella written for teens, and is such an incredibly fun read. Denim is a great character, and his plight as a teen whose family is on the low socioeconomic economic scale, and has had to move around a lot, pulls at the emotional heartstrings. But then along comes the kind and friendly Mina, and Denim is faced with a difficult choice that will test his morals as well as his new friendship.
As a fellow writer of the Rhiza Shorts listing, I’m incredibly proud of this book that Rebecca has written. I’m grateful to have been one of the early readers of the story and to be gifted a free copy of the novella for being a member of the beta reading team.
As a fellow writer of the Rhiza Shorts listing, I’m incredibly proud of this book that Rebecca has written. I’m grateful to have been one of the early readers of the story and to be gifted a free copy of the novella for being a member of the beta reading team.
November 3, 2025
We need so many more stories like Flip, where the protagonist isn’t mega-wealthy, glamorous, or impossibly perfectl. I loved this novella, which manages to cram so much heart, humour, and honesty into it’s pages. Fraser captures the everyday struggles and quiet triumphs of ordinary people with warmth and authenticity, making it deeply relatable in the current rental crisis and emotionally resonant. The writing is sharp yet tender, and the characters feel like people you know, or people you are.
November 15, 2025
A great short read for teens and highly relatable. Beautiful prose, good imagery and a pretty big dilemma for the main character, Denim, to grapple with. Though my favourite character was Mina :)
October 3, 2025
In this highly engaging novella, Denim Davies finds himself in yet another new town after a year of moving around with his grief stricken dad. He wishes he could ‘flip’ his life like he flips the thrift store finds he sells online so he and his dad can settle into a normal life again. Just when he’s finally made a friend and one of his flips looks like it could actually change his life for the better, he discovers it would also destroy the new friendship he’s found.
Dealing with themes of friendship, loss and grief, as well as the topical issue of Australia’s housing crisis, Flip gives a raw and honest teen perspective on difficult but real adolescent issues. It will take you only a couple of hours to read but will stay with you for days after. A very enjoyable read, and not just for reluctant or busy readers.
Dealing with themes of friendship, loss and grief, as well as the topical issue of Australia’s housing crisis, Flip gives a raw and honest teen perspective on difficult but real adolescent issues. It will take you only a couple of hours to read but will stay with you for days after. A very enjoyable read, and not just for reluctant or busy readers.
July 5, 2025
Short sharp story. Ethical decisions, forming friendships, clean clear writing.
September 4, 2025
A strong contender for my favourite YA read of the year, 'Flip' by Rebecca Fraser is a sharp, concise novella that shines a light on the housing crisis and the affects on working class families and teenagers - a demographic, and a topic, that rarely get a look-in among the sea of middle-class literature out there. Rebecca Fraser gives voice to Denim, a teenage boy who lives in a caravan park with his ever-hopeful Dad, struggling to find consistent employment after moving town to town thanks to the rental crisis, and 'flips' items he finds in op-shops on eBay to make money. When he meets new friend Mina, and has a run-in with the school bully (the twist pertaining to the bully character was marvellous and I didn't see it coming), Denim's world finally starts to shine a little brighter and a little clearer. Fraser excels at crafting compelling, likeable characters and portraying the truth about real-life issues that kids are aware of and can relate to. This gripping book of 100 pages packs a huge emotional punch. The impact of this story does not end when the final page is turned. A stellar effort - I highly recommend FLIP.
Published by Wombat Books
Published by Wombat Books
October 14, 2025
I had the privilege or betareading this book last year, as one of the Rhiza Shorts authors. It was my pleasure to reread it in its published form today. I have been looking forward to its release and the opportunity to share it with my preteen son.
Flip is a beautifully crafted, gentle tale of a kid called Denim who has been through tough times - he lost his mother to cancer and then he and his Dad lost their home. However, Denim is not resentful of his circumstances, he is trying to make the best of them. He's the kind of kid who deflects bullies, befriends unusual kids and gives people a second chance. He struggles with a moral dilemma, because he's a kid with both a heart and a conscience.
This is a book that will sit in your heart long after you close the covers. It is beautifully and simply written, suitable for those who find reading challenging, but can also be appreciated by the most competant reader.
Flip is a beautifully crafted, gentle tale of a kid called Denim who has been through tough times - he lost his mother to cancer and then he and his Dad lost their home. However, Denim is not resentful of his circumstances, he is trying to make the best of them. He's the kind of kid who deflects bullies, befriends unusual kids and gives people a second chance. He struggles with a moral dilemma, because he's a kid with both a heart and a conscience.
This is a book that will sit in your heart long after you close the covers. It is beautifully and simply written, suitable for those who find reading challenging, but can also be appreciated by the most competant reader.
January 1, 2026
A great short accessible novella for teens/ pre teens. Themes include friendship, moving towns, bullying, ethical dilemmas, grief, creative problem solving. The main character Demin is realistically portrayed and emotionally expressive. An engaging easy read which I would award more than five starts to if I could.
December 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this. Full review to come soon.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews