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Thirteen-year-old Kyle thought spending a vacation on the Oregon coast with his family would be great. Kyle's perfect vacation becomes a nightmare while he's babysitting his sister, BeeBee. ( )

Thirteen year old Kyle is excited for his family vacation. He gets to fly on a plane for the first time and see the Pacific Ocean during their visit to Oregon's coast. As they are checking into the hotel Kyle sees a bully, Daren, from school. When Kyle’s parents go to an awards ceremony out on a large ship off the coast, they leave him to watch his sister, BeeBee, for the night. An earthquake hits and the hotel is on fire. They see Daren and try to help him get outside. Free from the flames, they feel safe. Kyle remembers a sign he saw at the beach about giant waves that can come after an earthquake. The sign said to get to higher ground. They had to get moving! Kyle tries to convince Daren to go with them, but he won't listen. Kyle and BeeBee start to trek up a nearby mountain. He's not sure how high up they need to go, but he knows they need to get away from the ocean. Along the way they find an elderly couple who is out walking their dog, trying to get to a safe place. Will a tsunami hit? Can l Kyle and BeeBee survive if it does? What will happen to their parents and Daren? You'll have to read this fast paced book to find out how it all ends.

Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret was a page turner. I have read other books by this author and have enjoyed them all. I thought Kyle and BeeBee both seemed like characters I could relate to and because Kyle was 13 it made sense that his parents left them alone for the evening so they could go to the ceremony. It was easy to relate to Kyle’s disappointment when he found out that someone who was mean to him at school was staying at his hotel. From what I could see of Darren he didn't act very kind! I can’t imagine how scary it would be to be in a major earthquake. This is a great book for kids who like realistic fiction and lots of action! I learned a lot of survival tips from the story too! I look forward to reading more books by this author.
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When 13 year old Kyle is on vacation with his family on the Oregon Coast, disaster strikes. After reading about Tsunamis from a warning sign on a beach, Kyle must lead his little sister to safety once an earthquake causes their hotel to catch fire. The two siblings must make wise decisions as they navigate through the burning building, also saving the life of a classmate bully who was staying in the hotel as well. Once out of the fire, Kyle chooses to run with his little sister to higher ground while the bully makes fun of his fear of Tsunamis and heads towards the ocean. This decision ultimately saves both sibling's lives. (The bully manages to escape the wave but places himself in severe danger due to his decision). Kyle learns much about responsibility and how to stand up for himself in this coming of age, adventure-packed story.

I really enjoyed reading this book and believe it could be a great addition to any classroom unit on local disasters and proper disaster response. Upper Elementary students will enjoy reading this action-packed, quick-paced story about a character they can relate quickly to. Kyle's story not only will help students know what to do in case of a disaster, but also gives students insights into how to deal with bullies and being a responsible member of a family. This story is empowering to students as they read of Kyle's bravery in the face of disaster and his smart decision-making skills as he does all he can to protect his little sister. Although a hero, Kyle is relatable and deals with all the issues a typical older brother faces. This book also incorporates humor and develops all characters well through the use of narrative. A great read!

Awards: This book has not won any Awards.

APA Citation: Kehret, P. (2003). Escaping the giant wave. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ( )

This book is about two children on vacation with their parents on the Oregon coast. When an earthquake causes their hotel to catch fire, the two children find themselves alone in the burning building. The two siblings must escape the building and then run to high ground and inland before the approaching tsunami reaches the shore. This book is a great choice for upper-elementary readers. The end of each chapter leaves the reader hanging and wanting to continue reading. The book is full of excitement and children can easily relate to the main character who is in the sixth grade. Though most fourth-grade readers will not have experienced a tsunami like the characters do, most will be able to relate to a time when they themselves were scared and in an unfamiliar setting. Being able to relate to the main character and his opinions and emotions help readers to connect to the story. Also, children often enjoy stories in which child characters are brave and protective of their family. In the book the main character must protect his younger sister, thus taking the role of an adult. This is demonstrated when the boy chooses to get his sister and himself out of the burning hotel even though that means that they must leave their oxygen-filled room to go into the smoky hallway and stairs. The central message of the story is that it does not matter how old a person is, anyone can be a hero by having courage and making smart decisions. ( )