Tara and the Towering Wave: An Indian Ocean Tsunami Survival Story

Girls Survive

by Cristina Oxtra, Francesca Ficorilli (Illustrator)

When her mother announces a holiday vacation to Thailand, Tara isn't thrilled. She'd rather stay home with her friends, but Mom is determined they use the girls' trip to explore their Thai heritage. Tara is reluctant to travel so far from home, especially to a country she doesn't feel connected to. But then disaster strikes. The day after Christmas, a massive tsunami sweeps through Phuket, Thailand. Tara's resort vacation suddenly becomes a fight to survive - and find her mother in the wreckage.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Survival, Fiction, Childrens, Family, Juvenile

112 pages, Library Binding

First published August 1, 2020

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tara and her mother check into beach resort in Thailand for a Christmas getaway. The tsunami was an unexpected and unwelcome event for them. Fortunately they are not in their beachside villa when the waves come in, but they do get separated. We follow Tara closely as she copes with the unexpected surge and see others help her to find refuge. She, in turn, helps others while trying to find her mother. I am interested to read the I Survived title that tells a story and gives information on this cataclysmic event. Yesterday I had the opportunity to discuss this title with a group of kids at my library. All of them gave positive feedback on the book and we attempted to simulate a tsunami in a box. Some of us also got a little wet in the process, but it was a great learning experience.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tara travels with her mother to her grandparent's homeland of Thailand. While on a morning excursion to the market, Khao Lak is hit by a Tsunami that wipes out the coast. Immediately Tara is swept up in a struggle to survive.

Really well written: contemplative Tara has the reader thinking of how the tsunami has affected people long term. We see her react to the tragedy around her, think on her feet, and strive to help others in the moment and longer-term.

I love that this series is hitting on some real events that have fewer books written about them. I can see my Thai students excited to read this, especially since it is an event that happened before they were born.

[TJL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, easily my favorite of this series so far: The best written, so emotional, and I just loved Tara.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tara and her mother are headed to Thailand for the Christmas holidays. Her mother wants to explore the place where her parents immigrated from in Koh Lak, near Phuket, Thailand. At first Tara isn't too excited about the long trip from Minnesota, but once she gets there the beautiful beach and yummy food start to grow on her. The day after Christmas she and her mom decide to go to the market for breakfast and some touristy shopping. While there a tsunami hits and Tara must struggle to survive and then find her Mom.

I found this to be the most moving of the Girls Survive stories, probably because it hits closer to home. I work in Thailand, and I remember when the tsunami hit we were really concerned that some of our students and their families or staff and their families might have been down south. Thankfully, no one was involved in the tsunami, but I knew lots of people who quickly went down to help with the recovery and aid work and the stories they brought back were heartbreaking. I think it is also heartbreaking to remember how hard they had it 16 years ago, and knowing that area had finally just started recovering from the tsunami and now the tourism industry down there has been hit hard by covid so those people are again in pretty dire straights economically. The only thing I didn't find accurate about this story was the description of the Phuket airport. Tara is complaining about the huge crowds of people, but Phuket can only handle a max of like 4 planes at a time. It is a super tiny airport, and it was even smaller back then before it got remodeled. Basically at most you'd have 2 planes of people around you at the pick up point, which compared to the Bangkok airport crowds during transit or even Minneapolis airport, is nothing. That aside, a very well done reimagining of what it would have been like for a girl who is Thai but doesn't know any Thai to have been caught in the tsunami.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. The author keeps the descriptions of injuries and such pretty tame compared to what she could have included. Just some cuts, bruises, and broken bones described (and very minimally). It is mentioned that people died and the crowds of people hunting for missing family after the tragedy, but none of the dead described.

[Hayley (Backpacking Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While searching for books set in Thailand, I stumbled across this illustrated middle-grade story about a young girl and her mum who travel to Thailand to learn more about their heritage but get separated after an unexpected tsunami wipes out the small village where they are staying.

For a middle-grade, this was much more graphic and tense than I expected - it brilliantly captured the shock and struggle of being caught up in the waves and desperately trying to cling to safety. Tara was scared but her bravery shone through and it was incredible to see her practical side take over in an effort to stay alive. Readers of all ages will admire her strength and survival skills, not to mention her courage as she joins a group of rescuers in an attempt to find her mother.

My only criticism would be that Tara and her mother reunited very quickly and coincidentally - this felt a tad unrealistic and I would have liked to see Tara go on more of a journey, meeting and helping others along the way, before she found her.

For a small book though, it certainly packs a punch.

Rating breakdown
Plot/narrative - 4.2
Writing style/readability - 3.9
Characters - 3.8
Diverse themes - 4.3
Ending - 3.7
Overall - 4

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to pull something positive out of the tragedy of the 2004 tsunami that killed 250,000 people, but Cristina Oxtra manages to leave her characters with a sense of purpose and connection to the many other people who suffered in its aftermath. They become caretakers and fundraisers as part of trying to make sense of their own survival. She draws on her own family history of immigration from the Philippines when creating Tara and her mother's Thai back story -- grandparents who emigrated to the US, worked hard, did not pass the language down and have children who are just starting to explore their ancestors' country. Holds together well, tells a good story of identity and survival, leaves you wanting to know more -- great combination.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to check out one of the series that we got in our school library, and I approve! I also read the memoir Wave about this same tsunami, and so had some background knowledge. I don't know if I'd call this historical fiction since the tsunami didn't happen very long ag0 (or, since it has been 20 years and that counts as a generation, maybe it is...).

Tara hasn't seen her dad since her parents divorced. Her mom's parents were both born and raised in Thailand, so she plans a trip for Tara and her to go, but of course the tsunami happens and we see what that experience is like for them and the resort community they are visiting.

[Alyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series has been so popular at my school. I had trouble finding one to read myself because they were nearly all checked out.

I remember hearing about the Tsunami on the news and it was interesting learning about the event through Tara's eyes. I feel like it gave a good representation of the event (with extra information at the end) for a younger audience. It showed the devastation but it a way that younger readers could understand and handle.

Popsugar reading challenge #24 A book you can read in one sitting

[Daria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historically-based kids book set at the time when a tsunami devastated one area of Thailand. The main character showed great resolve and resilience in the face of a sudden and catastrophic event. I appreciate the little details that the author included about such things as how this tragic occurrence contributed to the development of an early warning system for tsunamis.

Definitely worth reading and a great book for family or classroom discussion afterward.

[Izabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ida och Tsunamin är en bok i serien Överlevarna. Böckerna är fristående och handlar om olika historiska händelser.

I den här boken följer vi Ida som är på semester i Thailand med sin mamma. Det är julen 2004. Och snart kommer katastrofen, enorma vågor väller in över Thailand. Tusentals dör. Ida måste hitta ett sätt att överleva. Och hitta sin mamma i kaoset.

[Biblioteken i Örnsköldsvik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ida och Tsunamin är en bok i serien Överlevarna. Böckerna är fristående och handlar om olika historiska händelser.

I den här boken följer vi Ida som är på semester i Thailand med sin mamma. Det är julen 2004. Och snart kommer katastrofen, enorma vågor väller in över Thailand. Tusentals dör. Ida måste hitta ett sätt att överleva. Och hitta sin mamma i kaoset.

[Mary T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the "I Survived" series (I think I've read them all), and I decided to pick up this one to try out the "Girls Survive" series. This one was fine, but I think I like the "I Survived" series better. I read this one aloud to my 7 yo son.

[Morgan (youarethelibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this one dealt a little bit more with the aftermath of the disaster.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Big improvement on the I Survived series title I've read. Still not my thing.

[Ellie Reuschel Taylor's Version · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't the best I will say. It was not a quick read. But it was still good.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I refuse to tag something "historical fiction" when I was alive during it... ha.

I actually don't really remember ever hearing much about this tsunami, which is sad.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the story and the introduction of horrible natural disasters to young readers. It was just enough for my third grader. Doesn’t seem like this was almost 20 years ago-

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75