Escaping the Giant Wave

Escaping the Giant Wave, by Peg Kehret, is great for those who love books about natural disasters. It is an exciting story about Kyle going on a vacation to the Oregon coast. They learn about tsunamis while visiting together, and of course they happen to experience one while they are there! His parents are out on a boat while Kyle leads his sister away from the hotel to safety. Being separated from their parents and dealing with such a horrific disaster definitely adds to the suspense.

I've never read a realistic fiction book about a tsunami before, so that was very interesting. Additionally, since I live in Portland so close to the coast, I have grown up going on beach day trips or weekend excursions. However, we have never worried about tsunamis because they are so rare. Maybe it's different for the people who live on the coast, but I don't ever remember even talking about tsunamis when I was a kid. Still, even though it was a bit predictable at times, it has a good storyline and character development with Kyle dealing with a bully in a positive way. It actually reminds me of myself when I was dealing with my own bully in elementary school. It was an enjoyable read!


--Mr. Riedl
2017-03-15