Hometown St.Thomas June 2026

Brave Waves and Big Dreams for a Young Author At just nine years old, Xavien Hill is already turning a dream into reality with the release of his first children’s book, Brave Waves . The Grade 3 student has a passion for storytelling, sports, and adventure, and can now officially add “published author” to his growing list of accomplishments. Xavien, who enjoys baseball, hockey, soccer, and basketball, says he has always loved books and imaginative stories. “After reading many, many books, I wanted to write about characters facing problems and having adventures,” he explained.

That love of adventure shines through in Brave Waves , a story that follows a young boy whose beach trip takes an unexpected turn. “ Brave Waves is about a boy who wants to go to the beach, but

his plans change due to the weather,” said Xavien. “The boy learns to have fun with his family at home. Eventually, he does make it to the beach, where he realizes he’s afraid to go in the water.” The story carries an uplifting message about courage and overcoming fear. “His mom tells him to have ‘Faith over Fear,’” he shared. “With those words, he jumps into the water and has a big sea adventure.” Along with writing the story, Xavien also helped create the book’s artwork with the support of his parents, Erika and Chris Hill. “I helped my mom develop the illustrations using software that makes the pictures look like they were painted,” he said. CONNECT

“I created the characters based on members in my family. My mom, dad, sister, and my dog named Lou.” His family’s encouragement has played a major role in helping bring the project to life, and seeing the finished book in readers’ hands has been an unforgettable experience for the young author. “I am very, very excited,” said Xavien. “It feels like a dream come true because I have wanted to be a published author since I was six years old. To have everyone’s support feels great. I love writing, and I am so excited that people love reading what I write.” When he is not writing or playing sports, Xavien enjoys reading comic books and adventure stories, with favourites including The Bible , the Dog Man series, and The Hobbit . Looking ahead, Xavien says this is only the beginning. “I would love to write so many more books. I have so many ideas,” he said. “I want to write books about sports, animals, and adventures.” If you would like to grab a copy of Xavien’s book, it can be found on Amazon.

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