Gerroa inspires author Allison Tait's latest YA novel

The novel, written for older kids, is a beachside mystery in which tween-aged Callie teams up with her nemesis to solve a string of robberies, coming up against gangs and possibly even ghosts along the way.

Ms Tait said the book was a tribute to beach holidays with loved ones - particularly the family holidays where the parents are away with their best friends, and the kids are along for the ride.

"We used to spend time here in a holiday house with friends, and I always said to them that I was going to write a story that was set here one day," she said.

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"Gerroa is such an amazing place, I just love the feel of being here.

"[Young readers] will relate to the notion of the family friends group - where you are thrown together with these children because your parents love each other.

"So you see a lot of these kids, but you don't necessarily get along with them.

"And I think that this summer is the summer that Callie actually makes her own friends."

Ms Tait said the book was a "mystery meets coming of age" all about growing up, figuring things out, and solving the puzzle of who you are.

"Growing from a child, to a teenager, into an adult is one of the greatest adventures any of us ever undergo," she said.

"There's various pressure points and transitions, and I think that period where you start high school is definitely one of them.

"There's this idea that you can leave behind your childhood nerdy self, then go to high school and it's going to be different or better.

"I think that kids will really relate to that."

Ms Tait is officially launching The First Summer of Callie McGee at Gerringong Library on August 26, at the end of Book Week.