A Terrible Tide
In two hours, all she knew was washed away.
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.
Resources & Media
Praise & Recognition
"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."
Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award for English Fiction 2023 - Short-listed
Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens, Spring 2022 2022
Saskatchewan Young Readers Choice Diamond Willow Award 2023 - Short-listed
Details
Publication Date: September 28, 2021
Reading Age: 9 - 12
Genre: Children's Fiction, Middle Grade
Product Format: Paperback
Pages: 208
ISBN: 978-1-77260-211-1
Weight: 170
About the Author
Suzanne Meade
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 other 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.
