Tall Water

by S.J. Sindu, Dion MBD (illustrator)

From Stonewall Honor–winning writer SJ Sindu, author of Shakti, and celebrated illustrator Dion MBD comes a powerful coming-of-age teen graphic novel that follows one girl’s journey to Sri Lanka to reconnect with her long-lost mother during the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. Perfect for fans of Persepolis and Almost American Girl.

Ever since she turned sixteen, Nimmi has wanted to see her mother. Though she has a loving but overprotective father and a budding relationship, she yearns to travel to Sri Lanka to confront the mother who refused to leave the island during a war, not even for Nimmi’s sake. Her father is going back for the first time as a reporter on assignment, but he refuses to take her, deeming Sri Lanka too dangerous.

But then Nimmi's mother appears to her in a dream, asking her to come find her, and Nimmi knows she must go. Her father is livid when he sees her at baggage claim, but by then it’s too late, and he reluctantly agrees to help Nimmi make contact with her mother. In Sri Lanka, Nimmi tags along with her father and his guide, past checkpoints and armed soldiers and increasing hints of the war that rages there.

However, the day after Christmas, disaster strikes and a tsunami ravages the island. Stranded amid the devastation and destruction, can Nimmi reunite with her mother? Through her journey, Nimmi might just learn that the person she most needed to find was herself.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Queer, Comics, Fiction, LGBT

Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2025

About the author

SJ Sindu is a Tamil diaspora author of two novels, Marriage of a Thousand Lies and Blue-Skinned Gods, as well as the hybrid fiction and nonfiction chapbook I Once Met You But You Were Dead. A 2013 Lambda Literary Fellow, Sindu holds a PhD in English from Florida State University, and teaches at the University of Toronto.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm]

Whew...

CW: violence and death on page

This was a powerful, but tough read. Shout out to Sindu for using the specific art form to capture a conflict that many Western individuals (including myself) know little about. I've been searching for more books that take place in Sri Lanka or have Sri Lankan representation. Especially books that are written for a middle grade/young adult audience. Though I've read Sindu in the past (Shakti), this book is strikingly different. It encourages readers to engage with history in a different manner and forces us to reckon with conflict on a global scale. Though I was aware of the impact of the tsunami of 2004, I had no idea that the Sri Lankan civil war occurred at the same time. Through the development of Nimmi as a character, readers learn more about the emotional, physical, and mental ramifications of the civil war as well as the tsunami. This is one I definitely recommend checking out.

[Andrea Beatriz Arango]

Where are my SHAKTI fans at? 👀 S.J. Sindu is back (with Dion MBD illustrating), this time with a YA graphic novel set in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami.

In it, aspiring journalist Nimmi travels to Sri Lanka to finally meet her Tamil mother for the first time since the civil war separated her parents when Nimmi was a baby. Except it's 2004 and the war is still happening, and Nimmi is as unprepared to witness that as she is to live through a climactic disaster.

I've personally only ever read one other kidlit book set in Sri Lanka during the war (the middle grade I Am Kavi, which I highly recommend) so I was thrilled to pick this one up to add to my rec list. It's heavy, but well worth the read, and like all of Sindu's kidlit so far, includes really lovely casual queerness as well.

[Rod Brown]

Nimmi Campbell's family was torn apart in the 1980s by the Sri Lankan civil war when she was an infant. Raised in South Dakota by her American father, she longs to see her Sri Lankan mother, long kept apart from them by the continuing conflict and governmental red tape. In December 2004, 17-year-old Nimmi is finally able to travel to Sri Lanka for a reunion, unaware that another disaster is looming over her family.

A nice story about family, identity, and survival that provides a welcome glimpse into the culture and history of this far-away country.

[Elizabeth A]

Set around the time of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 this coming of age YA graphic novel explores a biracial teen's journey to connect with her Tamil mother in Sri Lanka.

Illustrations by Dion MBD and his color palette choice are really good, though I was confused as to why our protagonist looks like she's a tween and not 17. While I appreciate the rep, complex themes were too lightly touched on for this adult reader. Can see how this would work better for the target audience.

Ratings for S.J. Sindu books
Marriage of a Thousand Lies - 4
Shakti: A Graphic Novel - 3
Tall Water - 3

[Sacha]

5 stars

I absolutely love Sindu's writing, but based on what I've encountered so far, I did not anticipate a YA graphic novel. This - though serious in its themes - was a pleasure to encounter.

Nimmi is in her teens and facing the impending challenge of college admissions, a birthday, and a reminder that her mom is more distant (in all ways) than she'd like. She's determined to get to know her mother, who lives in Sri Lanka (Nimmi does not), and she takes drastic measures to try to make that happen.

The book is set in the thick of violence, and Sindu does not shy away from this. The depictions are appropriate for older teen readers, but they are there, so I'd suggest a quick content check for all prospective readers simply to make sure they're in the right headspace to encounter all of this. There are scenes of war-related violence and Mother Nature's wrath, and both reflect reality, difficult as they may be.

I really appreciate a book that not only comes through with engaging characters and plotting but also that has a lot to offer in a cultural and historical context that will be new to many. I'm looking forward to sharing this one with students (and recommend it highly to prospective readers of all kinds) for many reasons.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[chloereadsallday]

The best illustrations I’ve ever seen in a graphic novel. They are all consuming. Completely immersive. It was such a beautiful interpretation of a very haunting true story.

[Jess Renaye]

I wasn’t prepared for how deep and heavy this would be. It made me tear up multiple times and the art is stunning on top of a fantastic story. 4.75 stars I wish it went into a bit more of the mother daughter relationship, especially considering their circumstances but this was stunning.

[Cece ✿]

1⭐️
My opinion: I wanted to dnf immediately, but decided to finish it because it was so short. I really didn’t like the drawing style in this book and it was unexpectedly really graphic which made me uncomfortable. The story is about the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which I was interested in learning more about. Nothing really sets this book apart from other recounts or retellings of this event though. If you’re interested in reading Tall Water, I highly recommend watching the movie ‘The Impossible’ instead, which portrays the event so much better. I also felt like even though the cover is literally OF the tsunami, the story takes so long to actually get to that part.

genre: graphic novel, historical fiction
pov: first person, present tense
trope: -

Age rating: 14+
Violence: so. much. blood. People shed blood from getting scraped on their arms or legs, a guy gets a black eye, a guy gets hit in the head with the butt of a gun, he bleeds a lot, the illustrator drew the pages with violent scenes to look like they’re splattered with blood - it’s actually very unsettling. Kids drown (kind of graphic), de@d people float face down in the water
Romance: the fmc has a boyfriend; a girl kisses fmc on cheek twice throughout the book, there are obvious romantic feelings between them, but nothing happens more than that
Drinking/drugs/smoking: people are seen smoking in the background of a couple illustrations
Language: 1 h*llh*le

Trigger warnings:
- blood (on-page)
- death (on-page)
- war (off-page)

Publish date: 12-August-2025
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristen]

"Tall Water" is a coming-of-age graphic novel that teaches readers about the importance of perspective, empathy, and bearing witness. Nimmi's family is separated by more than just distance as her parents were forced to take different paths during the Sri Lankan civil war. Having never met her mother and having maintained correspondence only through letters and awkward phone calls, Nimmi is reunited with her mom for the first time since she was just a baby and has to confront her emotions of being left behind.

The novel moves quickly and smoothly aided by the clear and beautifully illustrated pages. Unlike some graphic novels, the characters in "Tall Water" feel well developed and complex. While there were times I felt Nimmi's actions were a bit childish for an eighteen year old, the reasons behind her behavior felt realistic.

I would definitely read another of Sindu's books, and I'll be on the look out for more of Dion MBD's gorgeous work!

[jade ☀]

there were a handful of key moments that felt like they needed a few more panels of fleshing out, but overall this was a very raw, heartfelt, and impactful. need to sit on my thoughts some more, but definitely worth the read.

[tillie hellman]

quite intense and deals with some really dark historical events but also about resilience and family and caring for others. beautiful artwork and strong characters

[Liralen]

Nimmi has grown up in the US, living with her father and communicating with her mother only through letters—but when her father has the opportunity to return to Sri Lanka, where Nimmi is born and her mother still lives, she's desperate to go too. Sri Lanka is still at war, though, and Nimmi soon feels in over her head. And: It's December of 2004. None of them can know what's coming.

This is a graphic novel for young adults, but it's one for readers who can take heavy themes. The major themes are the war in Sri Lanka and the Boxing Day tsunami—Nimmi finds herself witness to the first and right in the middle of the second. (I was going to say that it doesn't hold back, but I don't think that's entirely accurate—for all that Nimmi witnesses, she's on the periphery of violence and presumably has significant protection conferred by her dual citizenship; this would be a very different story if it were about someone living in the thick of it. Nimmi hears some of those stories, but she and the reader are spared the worst of it. She sees bodies (I remember reading news story after news story and just not being able to comprehend the scale of the disaster), but the reader is again spared the worst of it.

It's well done. I didn't need the mini romance of the book (I never need the mini romance), but there's a lot of complexity packed into a relatively short story. War, natural disaster, romance, identity, family history, family reconciliation...I hope this ends up in a lot of high school libraries.

[Sarah Bennett]

I did not know much amount the Sri Lankan Civil War or the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and earthquake before requesting this graphic novel on NetGalley. While reading, I was overcome with grief for the people affected by both of these devastating tragedies. I was moved by the storytelling, art style, and emotion striking each page. The visual portrayal of Nimmi’s hopes and dreams juxtaposed with her fear and pain is heartbreakingly beautiful. I appreciated how Nimmi’s coming-of-age experiences, like high school, applying to college, self-discovery, relationships, and family dynamics, were incorporated, too. She felt real and relatable, so I was invested in her as the story progressed and the stakes increased exponentially. It was impossible not to make connections to current events and recent history about which I have read, studied, and/or recall. Amongst many others, some of the events I could not help but think about while reading were Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people, the United States quickly descending in fascism, the Sierra Leonean Civil War, and Hurricane Katrina. The role of the media and journalism is crucial to this story, the other aforementioned examples, and countless more. As Nimmi’s father reminds her, “Never look away.” It is my greatest hope one day this kind of story will no longer be considered timeless and timely. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Tutankhamun18]

This does not flinch away from violence and terror, but I think does so in a manner I assume is realistic. It tells a very small and narrow story, but does so well. However, the characters, like the colour palette of the art, is somewhat flat. I would have liked to have seen more conversations that Nimmi had with friends, her boyfriend, father or mother (or anyone) to give her character more depth. I felt it was there but never saw past the surface and this was a little disappointing as a reader.

[Katy Jones]

Tall Water is the story of Nimmi and her desire to reconnect with the mother she hasn't seen since she was a baby. Nimmi's father is a journalist who was reporting on the war in Shri Lanka when he met Nimmi's mother and they started dating. Soon after Nimmi was born, conflict erupted in that area, and Nimmi's father fled with Nimmi while her mother stayed behind. Nimmi and her mother only have a relationship through letters because her mother doesn't have access to the internet at the orphanage she runs and hasn't been able to get a visa. When Nimmi's father tells her he's going to Shri Lanka to report on a story, she decides to hijack his trip and meet him at the airport. Nimmi gets more than she bargained for as she discovers the tumultuous country her mother lives in. The author did a great job of balancing the horrors of Shri Lanka and the war with the beauty as well; we get a balanced view of the place and the people, and we grow to understand why her mother wasn't able to leave -- both logistically and emotionally. One aspect that I didn't like about the story was that Nimmi starts having feelings for someone on the trip while she has a boyfriend back home. I think the aspect of self-discovery is important, but I wish she'd been honest with the person she starts having feelings for and tell them about her boyfriend. This would be a good read for high school readers who like history, world cultures, learning about other places, and, of course, graphic novels. The artwork is very engaging and well done. I really loved how, in one part, when difficult things were happening the colors got darker to help reinforce those ideas. Overall, I think this is an important story and well told. This was a four-star read for me.

[callistoscalling]

Thank you the publisher for a gifted copy of this book; all thoughts are my own!

📖 Book Review 📖 SJ Sindu & Dion MBD whisk readers on an absolutely beautiful and heartfelt coming of age journey. Like any young adult, Nimmi feels a strong sense to connect with her past as she grows into her own identity. While she lives with her father in the Midwest, her mother stayed in war-torn Sri Lanka and her hope is to reconnect with her prior to attending college in the states. In her own act of rebellion, she joins her father on a press journey to Sri Lanka in 2004, facing risks greater than they would have ever anticipated. As the ocean surges in a massive tsunami, this family - and country’s -true strength is tested. Tall Water explores the invisible string that exists between families no matter the distance, the magic of dreams, and the awesome yet terrifying strength of natural disasters. Grief and healing comes in waves and this powerfully cathartic graphic novel speaks volumes to this nature.

[Sarah Jung]

Tall Water is a powerful graphic novel that pairs beautifully with a middle grades classroom. Sindu weaves together a mother-daughter reunion story with the historical weight of the Sri Lankan civil war and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, giving students an accessible entry point into history and geopolitics they may not otherwise encounter. This is a strong classroom text because it opens up conversations about migration, found family, and the long reach of war on ordinary people, all through a protagonist whose emotional journey feels grounded. The art carries a lot of that nuance, giving weight to devastation and connection alike without ever feeling heavy-handed for younger readers. Highly recommend to broaden students' historical and cultural literacy.

[Dakota Morgan]

Nimmi yearns to visit her Sri Lankan mother, so when her photojournalist father is assigned to a conflict zone in that country, she tags along against his wishes. A bad idea, obviously, but it certainly opens up the story to some educational points about 2004 Sri Lanka in the midst of a civil war.

You might have noticed the title is Tall Water. Yes, indeed, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami does blast into the book a little over midway through. A dangerous scenario becomes a life-and-death scenario, though Nimmi's relationship with her mother and homeland continue to grow even as suffering abounds all around them.

Tall Water is a sobering read, even if it's perhaps trying to do too much. The artwork is functional.

[Susan]

This was a gut wrenching and beautiful graphic novel. Nimmi hasn't seen her mother since she was a baby because she lives in Sri Lanka. Her father refuses to take her when a job comes up for him but she sneaks over anyway. Nimmi finally sees her mother again when they go to the UNICEF orphanage she runs. Unfortunately, they are there on December 26, 2004 when the big tsunami hits. This is a story of loss, love, abandonment, and what it means to be a parent, child, and refugee. The illustrations absolutely bring this story to life.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book which has not affected my review.

[Shannon]

An incredibly moving, personal and eye-opening YA graphic novel about Nimmi, a biracial American Sri Lankan teen who tags along with her journalist father when he goes back to a war-torn Sri Lanka in December 2004, just before the country is ravaged by a freak tsunami.

Though mad when he discovers Nimmi came against his wishes, her dad does allow Nimmi to come with him as they travel to visit her mother's orphanage. The mother she hasn't seen since she was a tiny child. Along this journey, Nimmi is shocked by the occupation, the treatment of soldiers and eventually is able to make peace with her mother's abandonment, while also catching feelings for the cute young female guide who helps her and her father.

Highly recommended with absolutely GORGEOUS illustrations! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! I loved this book a LOT and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it's released later this year.

[MSabatiniReads]

I had the opportunity to read a pre-publication/ARC of this and although some of the transitions between scenes were lacking, the overall story is a must read. A suggested read for those who love a good graphic novel memoir (or in this case, historical fiction graphic novel) about a teen trying to find her identity after having been separated from her Sri Lankan mother her entire life. She travels to Sri Lanka "with" her father only to experience a mother who she feels did not try hard enough to come to her and build a relationship with her. She experiences violence, the effects of war and poverty on a nation that she is a part of, but does not really connect to. In one trip and one tsunami event, she learns more about herself than she ever anticipated. A tiny insight into Sri Lankan history, the limitations of the visa and asylum systems and how knowing where one comes from can bring power and confidence.

[Claire Wrobel]

It's been a long time since a graphic novel made me cry, but here it is! This was a beautifully complex story about a little family torn apart by war, journalism, and visas.

Nimmi has never known her mother, but they've been writing each other for years. Why? Because her mother takes care of an orphanage in Sri Lanka and she can never come visit the US due to visa restrictions. That particular fact really got me--how much a family can suffer because of a stupid piece of paper.

I'm also really grateful to this book for teaching me not only about the Sri Lankan civil war, of which I was completely clueless, but also about the devastation of typhoons especially in struggling areas.

[Kim]

Tall Water is a YA graphic novel by SJ Sindu and follows the character of Nimmi, a teen girl living in the US with her father while her mother, who she does not have a memory of, still lives in Sri Lanka, unable to get a visa to come to the US. Nimmi wants to go meet her and gets the opportunity when her father, a journalist, gets his visa reinstated to go cover the war in Sri Lanka. While there she learns more about the civil war going on in Sri Lanka and its effects on the people in the region. While there, she also experiences the 2004 tsunami and the destruction it brought to the region. So, while the readers enjoy Nimmi's coming of age story, they are also learning more about the history of the region. Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for this ARC.

[mariel ⭒.ೃ࿔]

this book hit my heart in all the ways it was meant to

[disco]

Following your dreams to the unimaginable.

[Heidi Burkhart]

An excellent GN based on true events in Sri Lanka. Highly recommended.

[Samantha Porter]

📚Printz Book Club #2📚

[Lesley]

Nimmi has a very unique multilayered coming of age story. An excellent YA graphic novel that confronts family, privilege, war, loss and love.

[Mariana]

The date should’ve clued me in for what was gonna happen but it took me by surprise. I think this is a wonderful story portraying a subject that I don’t know much about so it was interesting to learn. I can’t imagine the courage it took Nimmi to defy her father like that and book a flight to Sri Lanka but I’m so glad everything turned out ok. Great graphic novel!

[Cherrie Wang]

not personally a fan of the illustration style. here’s what this book shows us
- torn about not knowing mother
- identity as an independent voice (but labeled as rebellious by others), desire to get into columbia
- going to sri lanka and being shocked by the violence
- not feeling connected to mother
- huge tsunami happens and reconcile with mother through learning more information
- feeling renewed sense of purpose and now going to take a gap year

i don’t think this the visual storytelling pushed the disaster hard enough for us to earn the epiphany at the end. good bones in the story structure but it’s missing the meat that would allow for real emotional payoff.