Red Rocks

by Rachael King

While holidaying at his father's house, Jake explores Wellington's wild south coast, with its high cliffs, biting winds, and its fierce seals. When he stumbles upon a perfectly preserved sealskin, hidden in a crevice at Red Rocks, he's compelled to take it home and hide it under his bed, setting off a chain of events that threatens to destroy his family. Red Rocks takes the Celtic myth of the selkies, or seal people, and transplants it into the New Zealand landscape, throwing an ordinary boy into an adventure tinged with magic. With its beautiful writing and eerie atmosphere, junior readers will be thrilled and moved by this captivating story.

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy

250 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2012

About the author

Rachael King lives in a cold rambling villa in Christchurch, New Zealand. Her first novel, The Sound of Butterflies, won the New Zealand Society of Authors Hubert Church award for Best First Book of Fiction at New Zealand Book Awards. It was published in eight languages other than English. Her second novel, Magpie Hall was published in 2009, and her third, a novel for children called Red Rocks, won the 2013 LIANZA Esther Glen Medal for Junior Fiction and was adapted for television (as Secrets at Red Rocks) in 2025. The Grimmelings was published in 2024 by Allen & Unwin in Australia and New Zealand, and by Guppy Books in the UK, and Margaret K. McElderry in the US in 2025. Violet and the Velvets is her new series, published in 2025.

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book! Please do read it!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Zealand author alert!

This book ticks all the boxes. A very clever take on the old Selkie legends of Scotland set in present times in Wellington.

Jake is staying with his Dad for two weeks in the summer holidays. Dad is busy writing a book so Jake goes off on his own. He finds a sealskin in a cave and takes it home, but doesn't tell his Dad. The man living in a shack on the beach shows him kindness, yet Jake has been told never to trust strangers. A mysterious women befriends his Dad and thing quickly get out of hand. The local bullies level of violence is escalating.

Two weeks go by fast in the summer, Jake is under pressure to sort things out before it's too late.

Recommend age 10+ but it has what it takes to be an adult read.

[Sarah Laing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful setting, fantastic father-son relationship, suspense-filled story - this book was loved by me and my 9- and 6-year-old sons. Gus said that it was better than Harriet the Spy (high praise in his books).

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers below...


Lara moves from Auckland to a small town in Central Nth Island. She is finding it difficult to fit in and her mum works long hours – leaving her to herself until dinner most days.
It’s only when she makes friends with Kahu that their classmates stop teasing her and she feels less alone.
Kahu teaches her to ride horses and when he takes her on a camping trip she falls in love with the Kaimanawa horses roaming free on the Tongariro Plains. But a man nicknamed Tusker is interested too. He wants to catch the White Stallion for himself.
Kahu and Lara are shocked and angry when Tusker achieves this in the annual muster, and locks up the stallion to beat the spirit out of it.
With Lara’s Mum’s new boyfriend and Kahu and his mates – they steal the White Stallion and lead it to land where it can roam free again.

This story is told in third person from horses and human character’s viewpoints. An interesting way to give the history and plight of the Kaimanawa horses.

[Allie Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a trip down memory lane for this one - my favourite chapter book growing up and spotted it at a second hand bookstore today so had to grab it. Same same but different to how my young imagination remembers it ❤️

[Miriam Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I asked to review this book as I love old myths and legends, and this has selkies in it.

For those of you who haven't heard this particular tale, it is about seals and how they can shed their skin, hiding it away, and spend some time walking around as a human. But should someone hide their skin (generally someone who has fallen in love with them) then they are trapped, eventually starting to waste away.

I like that it is set in New Zealand, showing how these stories are now worldwide, and also that it is set in the perfect place for it, windy Wellington. The story follows a young boy who is down on holiday, staying with his dad, and free to roam as his dads job consumes all of his time. He finds a seal skin and takes it home, having no idea of the events that he has set in motion. Jake is a very believable character, easy to like and accept as a viable character. It's so easy to feel in the moment and believe that he is feeling what is written down on paper. His father, whilst not being the main character, is also a very real character.

[Book Chatter-Cath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red Rocks by Rachael King was a delightful read that had me so engrossed in its story that I almost forgot to have lunch.
Set in and amongst the windy beaches of our very own Wellington, Red Rocks tells the intriguing tale of Jake, his strange new friends and his troubled father in a way that breaths new life in to the Selkie myths of old.
Even if you're not familiar with the story of Selkie and their secrets, author Rachael King has written her version in a uniquely 'kiwi' style that will endear them to the reader, and have you looking at New Zealand's seal population in a completely new way.
A powerful story of love, friendship, heartache and loss, Red Rocks will leave you feeling both satisfied and hungering for more!

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

We thought it had lots of detail and it creates amazing images in your head. The descriptive words were amazing. The story had elements of sadness in it. The book was very very good. We all enjoyed it a lot in our class and we even wrote our own descriptions of Red Rocks, which is a unique part of Wellington New Zealand.

Rata Class.

[Amber Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the lit quiz group first explained this book I didn't think I would like it but I absolutely loved it!! This would have to be one of my favourite books!!

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book it's my fav

[Polina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the most amazing books i have ever read.

[LibraryKath · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fabulous book! I was hooked right from the beginning, and the story flowed so easily that I had read it in no time. One of my kiddo customers recommended this one to me as a good book and he was right. Young Jake is on holidays at his Dad's house in Owhiro Bay, Wellington when he finds a sealskin in nearby Red Rocks. He takes it home with him and that's when strange things start happening in his life. Can he work out why the mysterious Cara is walking the streets searching for something, and find the courage to take a stand when it's important?

Relatable, likeable characters, a well paced story and an exciting premise. I will definitely be recommending this one to other kids.

[Sarah Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. Red Rocks was a delightful read that had me engrossed from the start.I particularly loved the local setting of my home city and was able to visualise the locations clearly in my minds eye.
A great read with believable, relatable characters and an engaging storyline.
So glad I finally read this one.

[Isabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It'd difficult to pinpoint why I did not really enjoy the book so much.
The story is good, and probably appealing to young boys readers.
It takes place in New Zealand which is a plus...
So I would recommend to young readers but not call it a must.

[Minnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating is 3.5 stars. It was good, not great. I do think my age is my limitation here though, and that 8-11 year olds might enjoy it more. It was my first brush with selkies, and has left me curious with the mythology.

[Nadia King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of the Selkie legend set on the coast near Wellington. Well-paced coming of age novel somewhere between middle grade and YA, but excellent reading for all. Highly recommended. And no, I am not related to Rachael King!

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant story about the legend of the selkies. Set in Wellington it was nice to read about an area so close to home that I know so well. The story was well written with lots of drama and pre teen angst and some magic thrown in as well. Grest for older primary/intermediate kids.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A scary tale for tweens. Now I can watch it the series.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red Rocks

‘Waves battered the beach, chattering to the stones as they receded. Jake stood still, watching the rocks, waiting for a movement. And there it was: a seal, with sleek, damp fur, launching itself into the water like a torpedo. He looked for it amongst the floating islands of kelp, thought he spotted it at first but no, there it was, further away. It’s head surfaced and it rolled onto its back, raised one flipper as if in a wave and was gone.’


And so begins the story of Jake, visiting his writer father in Owhiro Bay, Wellington. Jake normally lives in Auckland with his mother, her husband Greg and their new baby, Davey. He is spending two weeks with his father over the school holidays. His father is busy writing a book, so Jake has quite a lot of freedom, and goes exploring on his bike. When he is exploring the red rocks, he discovers a fissure, a small cave, and hidden in the depths of the cave is a seal skin. For a reason not quite fathomable to Jake, he takes it home. Soon after, he sees a red haired woman roaming town, appearing to search for something. Jake meets Jessie, a young girl, who is the granddaughter of an old man, Ted, who lives in a shack on the beach. Jessie has something mysterious about her:

‘The little girl had piqued his curiosity. The way she looked at him made him want to talk to her, to find out what was going on behind those dark eyes. She was younger than him, so maybe they wouldn’t have much to say to each other, but maybe if she was cheeky, like Ted said, she could be fun to hang out with. He hadn’t met many kids his own age here.’

The story develops, with some nice tension, and the windy, unpredictable and rugged coastline of Wellington being an additional character to the story. We are introduced to the story of the Selkie when Jessie discovers that Jake has the sealskin.

‘Do you know what a selkie is?’ she asked.

‘A selkie? No. Should I?’

‘Selkies are seal people. The seals come on land and they shed their skins so they can walk on the earth like humans do. When they have finished their business, they put their skins back on and become seals again.’

‘But that’s just a fairy story,’ said Jake, who could remember something he had heard a long time ago. A story, set in Ireland maybe, where his ancestors had come from.

‘Jessie stared at him, hard. ‘It’s not a story. It is real. Jake, if you have stolen a sealskin, then whoever it belongs to will be stuck in human form.’ Jake was surprised to see tears form in her eyes. ‘You must put it back.’

Unfortunately for Jake, further complications arise when his father discovers the seal skin. Stormy, stormy times…beautifully written. Jake’s confusing age is probably OK since that is true of teenage hood! Sometimes they want to be children. Sometimes, independent adults. His stormy and unpredictable relationship with his father is also quite believable.

Sadly, I felt that the story lost its path a little about two thirds of the way through. Without going into any detail, the character focus changes, and I think to the detriment of the story. However, by the end it is easy to forgive this, and the denouement is thrilling.

I’m going to try this out on some 11-12 year olds and see what their perspective of the story is. Hopefully, I’ll be able to let you know!!


4/5 stars. Good story. Evocative setting with some really gorgeous writing. Highly recommended. Readers of 10+. Some mature readers of 9yrs may also enjoy it.

[Emma McCleary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant, captivating story from start to finish. I loved the setting, the characters and the story and became totally engrossed in the tale of the selkies.

Although I'm a good 25 years older than Jake - the main character - this never mattered. The language was simple and easy to follow but never talked down to the reader, who you'd assume to most likely be a child.

I loved the descriptions of the homes of Ted and Jake's Dad and felt I knew exactly what their environments were like, which helped give a familiarly and truth to the story.

I really enjoyed the creepier elements too - they took me right back to reading Maurice Gee's Under the Mountain as a kid; being frightened but not being able to stop reading. However, Red Rocks was more subtlety creepy - a crack of lightening and a face at a window, being nearly drowned and the lashing wind of Wellington's south coast were all elements that cleverly added a flash of danger.

The surrounding characters of the main story were well woven in too, giving the story a very 'real' quality - I really enjoyed the re-emergence of the bullies and the dog and loved that the story was well wrapped up in a very real way - no schumltzy endings or 'morals of the story' here.

4.5 stars.

[Ania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never been to Red Rocks in Wellington but after reading the book I would love to go there and see this place myself. It is rough, rocky and windy but beautiful wild coast with seals visiting ever now and then. I would like to meet Jake, the main character of the story too! Rachael King is a very talented author setting her stories in New Zealand. She describes the scenery with details and it makes it believable. Jake's character develops with the story - from a rather shy boy he becomes a braver and is able to stand up to older trouble seeking boys. I enjoyed reading about son-father relationship and I think that many children could find themselves similar issues in their families. As for Selkies - King brought the forgotten Icelandic myth to live - its magic, mystery and tragedy. I would recommend this story to children from year 5 to year 9, especially as a summer/school holiday reading.

[Angela Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This proved to be rather a quick read - devoured in less than a day. It was a decent adventure story, set in the wild coast of Wellington and focussing around a male protagonist of unspecified age - but I would guess in the 11-14 margin. the writing style is relatively simplistic - not as lyrical as King's adult novels, and of a good pace for the impatient young read - probably intended for boys aged 10+. The story line was somewhat predictable to a fable veteran like myself, but I imagine to a younger reader there may have been a few surprises. The characters were well developed, and I rather liked the young girl, Jessie. The only thing that jarred with me a bit was the incorporation of Celtic mythology in New Zealand - I'm more used to writers using Maori lore, but we're such a diverse country ethnically, it's not surprising that celtic fae might have migrated here too.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story. Great boy character who faces challenges all the way through the story but which are not unrealistic and are beautifully written. Loved the description of the beaches and the wild seas.

It is a refreshing change from the dystopia I seem to be getting so much of at the moment. I'd love to see it being read to classes of our junior students, great for Yr 9 and strugglers in Yr 10. There is lots of scope for extra work tying in with rocky shore and the legend of the selkie. I hope it does really well for the author, and I've just acquired a copy of Magpie Hall which I intend to read soon.

[Melinda Szymanik · Rating 4 out of 5]

a smart tale of the supernatural for young readers. Based on selkie mythology the story follows young Jake during his school holidays at his father's house on the wind-swept Wellington coastline (wonderfully evocative of the location). When he finds a seal skin in a cave he unwittingly gets caught up in the spell of a selkie which threatens his and his father's safety. Can he resist the spell long enough and undo the curse before it's too late?

[Senga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely novel for intermediate and lower secondary students with it's fast-paced plot and recognisable characters. Would particularly appeal to boys between 10-14. I enjoyed the familiar Wellington setting along with a good combination of realistic family issues that many of our youngsters deal with and the supernatural element of the existence of Selkies.

[Lorraine Orman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this New Zealand take on the old selkies legend. The author creates a realistic and vivid setting for this story about Jake's discovery of a sealskin - and what happens to him and his father after that. The weaving of fantasy and reality is deftly done.

[Thérèse M]

It was great

[Jo Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent novel set in NZ - I learned about the legend of the selkie.

[Cian Hallissey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book I found was a little bit confusing and I didn't enjoy it overall.

[Sibelplatosmmm · Rating 4 out of 5]

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