A Terrible Tide

A Terrible Tide

November 18th, 1929. In her small village in Newfoundland, Celia is setting the table for her 13th birthday celebration when the house starts to shake. It's an earthquake, rumbling under the Atlantic Ocean. A few hours later, the sea water disappears from the harbor, only to rush back in a wave almost 30 feet high, destroying nearly everything in its path. Buildings, boats, and winter supplies of fish and food are washed away, and Celia and her community are devastated. With their only phone line cut off and no safe route to get help, they are isolated and facing a long, cold, hungry winter. Their house destroyed and village in ruins, Celia and her family must band together and share the work needed for the community to survive. Can Celia find the courage to help her injured loved ones? Will help arrive before it's too late Based on the true story of an earthquake that shook Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula, A Terrible Tide tells the tale of this forgotten disaster from the point of view of a young girl whose life is turned upside down. Gr 3–7—On November 18, 1929, Celia was celebrating her 13th birthday when her small village on Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula felt the tremors of an earthquake that was the precursor to a tidal wave of tsunamic proportions, resulting in the total devastation of her small community. Told in episodic journal form through the eyes of Celia, this narrative is filled with all the emotional highs and lows a survivor endures in the midst, and aftermath, of a natural disaster. The historic notes with black-and-white photographs of the actual town heighten the gravity of this historical fiction novel. Readers will observe the degree of resilience, courage, and bravery needed when Celia chooses to overlook petty differences and band together with others for survival's sake, while waiting for help from the outside world. Through significant research, Meade provides insight into the history and voice of one of the many towns on the coast of Newfoundland that experienced the tragic event nearly a century ago. During these current pandemic times, Meade has added to the list resources that can help middle graders cope with survival trauma, providing a model of hope and connection in fearful circumstances. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers who revel in nuanced disaster accounts such as Jewell Parker Rhodes's Ninth Ward, Riel Nason's The Town That Drowned, and Ann E. Burg's Flooded: Requiem for Johnstown.—Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden M.S., Newport News, VA "...this dramatic story of one family’s fight to survive a horrific disaster, shown through the eyes of a 13-year-old, will keep 9 to 12-year-old readers engaged" -- Jocelyn Reekie ― CM: Canadian Review of Materials ★ “…the tale will transfix readers with both the adventure of the tidal wave and its aftermath and the many historical details that bring to life an isolated but close-knit fishing community…Gripping and strengthening.” ― Kirkus Reviews, starred review ★ "Told in episodic journal form through the eyes of Celia, this narrative is filled with all the emotional highs and lows a survivor endures in the midst, and aftermath, of a natural disaster." ― School Library Journal, starred review "With an ending that is both tender and hopeful, A Terrible Tide provides young readers with a glimpse of how a determined girl can find the inner strength to cope with the unexpected in a world turned upside down." -- Quill & Quire "A compelling and engaging novel of historical fiction for 9- to 14-year-olds, set in a time and place many will not know, but the characters, especially the young people, feel and behave in ways that all children will understand." -- Charlotte Stein ― Parry Sound North Star In two hours, all she knew was washed away. Suzanne Meade is a Canadian author specializing in historical fiction. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she is passionate about telling stories that connect with girls, women, and marginalized communities. In her spare time, she enjoys genealogy, yoga, reading, watching sci-fi, fantasy, and superhero movies, and playing video games. She currently teaches elementary school French and lives with her family and pets in Hamilton.