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The Wave
A suspenseful survivalist novel about 13-year-old Max, who faces some tough choices when a tsunami hits his beachside town.
From the acclaimed author of Run comes this exhilarating survivalist novel about 13-year-old Max, who is home alone when a tsunami warning hits his coastal town.
Max loves surfing, the beach, and the chilled-out island he calls home – though he doesn't love all the tourists that swarm his peaceful beach town every summer. When a warning comes that an unexpected tsunami is just hours away, Max is home on his own and he can't find his beloved dog, Ralph.
With precious time ticking away and people speeding past him out of town, Max is running out of time to get to higher ground. Ultimately, he will have to choose between trying to survive a tsunami on his own, or banding together with whichever strangers are left behind, even if they're tourists. And he'd better hurry, because the tsunami is going to hit any moment …
Perfect for fans of Tristan Bancks and Katherine Rundell, this gripping novel explores couarage, misplaced loyalty and survival in the face of disaster.
Ideal for readers who:
Are aged 9–14 and love high-stakes adventure set in the real world.
Want high-stakes/high intrigue plots without too much grit or violence.
Are fans of suspenseful novels such as Tristan Bancks's Scar Town and Bren MacDibble's The Dog Runner.
Are book club members, teachers and educators wanting a page-turner that also has meaningful themes for discussion.
From the acclaimed author of Run comes this exhilarating survivalist novel about 13-year-old Max, who is home alone when a tsunami warning hits his coastal town.
Max loves surfing, the beach, and the chilled-out island he calls home – though he doesn't love all the tourists that swarm his peaceful beach town every summer. When a warning comes that an unexpected tsunami is just hours away, Max is home on his own and he can't find his beloved dog, Ralph.
With precious time ticking away and people speeding past him out of town, Max is running out of time to get to higher ground. Ultimately, he will have to choose between trying to survive a tsunami on his own, or banding together with whichever strangers are left behind, even if they're tourists. And he'd better hurry, because the tsunami is going to hit any moment …
Perfect for fans of Tristan Bancks and Katherine Rundell, this gripping novel explores couarage, misplaced loyalty and survival in the face of disaster.
Ideal for readers who:
Are aged 9–14 and love high-stakes adventure set in the real world.
Want high-stakes/high intrigue plots without too much grit or violence.
Are fans of suspenseful novels such as Tristan Bancks's Scar Town and Bren MacDibble's The Dog Runner.
Are book club members, teachers and educators wanting a page-turner that also has meaningful themes for discussion.
- GenresYoung AdultMiddle Grade
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 2026
About the author
Sarah Armstrong
7 books55 followersSarah was a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation before writing three novels, Salt Rain , which was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award, 'His Other House' and 'Promise'. Her first novel for kids, 'Big Magic' was a CBCA Notable Book. 'Run' is a CBCA Honour Book and the Shadow Judges Winning Book in 2026. 'The Wave' is her latest survival thriller for readers aged 10+. http://www.sarah-armstrong
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 3, 2026
This has been a highly anticipated book for me and my students and I can’t wait to share it with them. I devoured it in one sitting; it’s a tense, action paced survival story with strong, believable characters and a realistic setting. Definitely a title worth purchasing multiple copies of for the school library!
August 19, 2026
‘This is not like any wave I’ve ever known; it just keeps coming and coming, stronger and stronger.’
MGM Review 66 - The Wave - @saraharmstrongwriter - @hardiegrantkids
After the success of her CBCA shortlisted book ‘Run’, I was eager to see what Sarah came up with next. Much to my delight, I was very grateful to receive an early copy from Sarah and couldn’t wait to dive in.
13 year old Max is home alone when his small coastal town receives a tsunami warning and the residents are told to leave immediately. But Max has lost his dog, he’s on his own and now he is faced with tough decisions. Should he stick around and find his dog? Should he work together with others left behind? These decisions require a quick response before the wall of water hits town. Will Max be able to survive the torrent of water or will he be too slow in making the right decision?
Sarah raises the stakes with this one, taking it to another level after the success of ‘Run’. This was a pulsating, gripping read. I was completely on edge for the first half of the book - it was high intensity, anxiety inducing stuff. The sheer terror of being caught up in a tsunami is perfectly captured by Sarah, with the power of the water and the havoc it created brought to life by vivid imagery and descriptions. I could feel the tension and fear coming through the pages. It really rattled me. As the story calmed down though, stronger themes emerged which had an impact - housing affordability within tourism towns, a little class warfare, the power of preconceptions, friendship and hard choices. The tough decisions softened some of the main players, and revealed a pleasing character arc after some questionable early interactions.
This was a riveting read by Sarah and one that you must get your hands on when it’s released on August 18.
Thanks again to Sarah for an early copy of this book. Good luck with the release!
#loveozmg #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks #mgreads #mgbooks
MGM Review 66 - The Wave - @saraharmstrongwriter - @hardiegrantkids
After the success of her CBCA shortlisted book ‘Run’, I was eager to see what Sarah came up with next. Much to my delight, I was very grateful to receive an early copy from Sarah and couldn’t wait to dive in.
13 year old Max is home alone when his small coastal town receives a tsunami warning and the residents are told to leave immediately. But Max has lost his dog, he’s on his own and now he is faced with tough decisions. Should he stick around and find his dog? Should he work together with others left behind? These decisions require a quick response before the wall of water hits town. Will Max be able to survive the torrent of water or will he be too slow in making the right decision?
Sarah raises the stakes with this one, taking it to another level after the success of ‘Run’. This was a pulsating, gripping read. I was completely on edge for the first half of the book - it was high intensity, anxiety inducing stuff. The sheer terror of being caught up in a tsunami is perfectly captured by Sarah, with the power of the water and the havoc it created brought to life by vivid imagery and descriptions. I could feel the tension and fear coming through the pages. It really rattled me. As the story calmed down though, stronger themes emerged which had an impact - housing affordability within tourism towns, a little class warfare, the power of preconceptions, friendship and hard choices. The tough decisions softened some of the main players, and revealed a pleasing character arc after some questionable early interactions.
This was a riveting read by Sarah and one that you must get your hands on when it’s released on August 18.
Thanks again to Sarah for an early copy of this book. Good luck with the release!
#loveozmg #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks #mgreads #mgbooks
August 25, 2026
Gripping survival adventure for any 10+ reader. Loved it as an adult, will be suggesting it to my students in years 5 and 6 and have given it to my 16 year old son! Couldn’t put it down! Great, well-rounded characters meeting challenges that rise in extraordinary circumstances. Excellent read!
August 30, 2026
An excellent survival story that had me on the edge of my seat! Excellently plotted with great character development. My students will eat this up!
September 5, 2026
Excellent survival novel, with grim reality but also hope and helping.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews