Higher Ground

COLLECTIBLE FIRST HARVEST EDITION. LIKE NEW. EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE BOOK IS BRUTAL AND FUNNY, GREAT TO READ. FAST SERVICE. -20-

Grade 5-9–Dedicated to the children of the 2004 tsunami, those who survived and those who did not, this compelling collection of short stories sweeps its way into readers hearts. A foreword by Michael Morpurgo sets the stage; out of feelings of guilt and powerlessness, he explains, Goyal inspired 16 bestselling UK authors to write stories that were based on the experiences of children who survived. His introduction provides background information about the unfathomable strength and effect of the wave and the countries affected: India, Somalia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Thailand. While each story reveals what people might truly have felt during those fateful moments, taken together they are also lessons for life--on days less dramatic. Fire Stones by Eoin Colfer is particularly noteworthy.–Alexa Sandmann, Kent State University, OH
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Gr. 5-8. Of the nearly 300,000 deaths caused by the 2004 tsunami, more than a third were children. Working with personal accounts of survivors and rescue workers, writers retell some of the harrowing accounts. Other authors imagine events that could have occurred, based on known facts. The 16 selections portray the horrific event as experienced by children of various ages in a variety of settings. Although some are more successful than others, all the pieces put a child's face on a disaster of enormous proportions. Black-and-white reproductions of children's art introduce each narrative; a middle section of full-color pictures depicts the nightmare through their eyes. An introductory map identifies affected countries, and appended pages add information about the relief and rescue charities that will benefit from the sale of this book. This British publication features writers from the UK and uses English references, but it will enrich science and social studies units in U.S. classrooms. Linda Perkins
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