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Dark Water Rising
I looked and saw water rushing in from Galveston Bay on one side and from the gulf on the other. The two seas met in the middle of Broadway, swirling over the wooden paving blocks, and I couldn't help but shudder at the sight. All of Galveston appeared to be under water.
Galveston, Texas, may be the booming city of the brand-new twentieth century, but to Seth, it is the end of a dream. He longs to be a carpenter like his father, but his family has moved to Galveston so he can go to a good school. Still, the last few weeks of summer might not be so bad. Seth has a real job as a builder and the beach is within walking distance. Things seem to be looking up, until a storm warning is raised one sweltering afternoon. No one could have imagined anything like this. Giant walls of water crash in from the sea. Shingles and bricks are deadly missiles flying through the air. People not hit by flying debris are swept away by rushing water. Forget the future, Seth and his family will be lucky to survive the next twenty-four hours.
Dark Water Rising is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Galveston, Texas, may be the booming city of the brand-new twentieth century, but to Seth, it is the end of a dream. He longs to be a carpenter like his father, but his family has moved to Galveston so he can go to a good school. Still, the last few weeks of summer might not be so bad. Seth has a real job as a builder and the beach is within walking distance. Things seem to be looking up, until a storm warning is raised one sweltering afternoon. No one could have imagined anything like this. Giant walls of water crash in from the sea. Shingles and bricks are deadly missiles flying through the air. People not hit by flying debris are swept away by rushing water. Forget the future, Seth and his family will be lucky to survive the next twenty-four hours.
Dark Water Rising is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2006
95 people are currently reading
955 people want to read
About the author
Marian Hale
3 books24 followersMarian Hale is an American author known for her historical novels for young adults. Her first novel, The Truth about Sparrows (2004), tells the story of twelve-year-old Sadie and her family's journey from Missouri to Texas during the Great Depression. The novel is praised for its historical accuracy and the development of its protagonist, Sadie. Hale's second novel, Dark Water Rising (2006), is set in 1900 and follows seventeen-year-old Seth during the devastating Galveston hurricane, blending fiction with historical events.
Hale also writes The Goodbye Season (2009), another young adult novel that explores family and personal growth. She lives with her husband, daughter, and grandchildren on the Texas coast.
Hale also writes The Goodbye Season (2009), another young adult novel that explores family and personal growth. She lives with her husband, daughter, and grandchildren on the Texas coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
May 26, 2023
I’m a native Texan, so I grew up hearing stories about the Galveston hurricane of 1900. Being a history buff, I’ve read historical fiction and non-fiction about it. This book stands out as one of the very best. The author takes the reader there, to the “New York City of Texas”. To see it’s beauty before September 8, 1900. To fight for survival during the monstrous storm. To rise to the challenge of re-building the city of Galveston. All told through the voice of a 16-year-old boy, who discovers what it takes to truly become a man, through his experiences in Galveston, Texas in 1900.
I would recommend this to all history lovers, and I think it would be a great tool for classrooms. A warning: For younger readers, the descriptions of the deaths and destruction might be too disturbing to read without adult guidance.
I would recommend this to all history lovers, and I think it would be a great tool for classrooms. A warning: For younger readers, the descriptions of the deaths and destruction might be too disturbing to read without adult guidance.
February 8, 2017
What a wonderful, historical account of the Hurricane of Galveston, Texas back in 1900. Though the main character's story is fictional, what happened to the town and its people are true. Beautifully written, it will move you to tears.
The book is told and seen through the eyes of a teenage boy. A boy who longs to be a carpenter.
Hopes and dreams fly and float away. After you read the story, there is a section in the back of the book showing images of the real devastation that occurred back then.
Highly recommended!
The book is told and seen through the eyes of a teenage boy. A boy who longs to be a carpenter.
Hopes and dreams fly and float away. After you read the story, there is a section in the back of the book showing images of the real devastation that occurred back then.
Highly recommended!
November 19, 2009
When I finally closed the book, I paused and said out loud, "Wow. Intense." Because it was. It dealt with an intense event in history and helped the reader feel a little bit of that.
Part of me felt disappointed because I felt that Hale treated the reader like the adults/teenagers treated the children in the story--shielding me from the full effects. Mostly because she didn't let us get too attached to any of the characters who died or disappeared. But as I've considered this being for a younger audience, I've decided that the treatment is just as well. It's still tragic enough. And I still felt sad for several of the characters--just didn't cry.
Another element of the story was the main character's coming of age and reconciling with his parents. I really liked this part; I think because I related to a lot of what he felt (not all, but a lot).
It was definitely worth reading.
Part of me felt disappointed because I felt that Hale treated the reader like the adults/teenagers treated the children in the story--shielding me from the full effects. Mostly because she didn't let us get too attached to any of the characters who died or disappeared. But as I've considered this being for a younger audience, I've decided that the treatment is just as well. It's still tragic enough. And I still felt sad for several of the characters--just didn't cry.
Another element of the story was the main character's coming of age and reconciling with his parents. I really liked this part; I think because I related to a lot of what he felt (not all, but a lot).
It was definitely worth reading.
May 4, 2023
Personally out of Good, bad, and ugly, it was pretty ugly and if you are wondering why i’m using good and bad and ugly it’s what we had to do in this place called school which i go to die everyday and since it was for school i did not like it. I WANTED JUST ONE KISS BETWEEN ELLA ROSE AND SETH THE BOOK WIULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER AS A ROMANCE LIKE AHHHHH and mrs stephens was like the main conflict is NOT the hurricane and the cover is a fricking fake like when does a guy carry a body on his back in the water with ships behind him never. i loved ella rose and seth but seth is kinda stalkery ngl
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2014
I'm accidentally reading this because Black Water Rising was recommended to me but I picked this up. It's not the same book. Oops.
Not the book I was expecting, also depressing, also for kids.
Not the book I was expecting, also depressing, also for kids.
December 23, 2020
Even tho I had to read it bc of my school. I really liked it and I surely recommend it.
May 5, 2023
This boring ass book that didn’t help me do anything since I got a 27 on the test anyways 🙄
September 21, 2023
My students are reading this in their ELAR class, so I decided to read it as well. It is a great story with several life lessons. I gave it five stars as a young adult book.
May 25, 2011
Book Report for: Charlie Harris
Grade: 7, Date: May 11/2011
________________________________________
Dark Water RISING
The author of Dark Water RISING is Marian Hale.
This is a fictional story.
It was published by Henry Holt in 1866 and has 221 pages plus 12 Authors notes.
The setting is: Galveston Texas in the year 1900.
The main character is Seth and other characters are Uncle Nate, Mr.Farrel, mom, and dad.
Here is what happened early in the story: Seth and his family moved to Galveston by train. They were waiting for Uncle Nate to pick them up. He came and picked them up and showed them around. Then they went to aunt’s house to spend the night because they did not have a house in Galveston.
Here is what happened during the story: Seth got a job building houses for Mr.Farrel with some other boys. Then meets Mr. Covington and he was asking about Mr.Farrel and asking about how Mr.Farrel works. His aunt of the story had given Josiah some food and he was thankful.
Here is what happened at the end: Seth and his co-workers had went home and they got home right before the hurricane hit. After the hurricane water had went down the town was completely torn to peices. When the people tryed to sink the bodies they came back so they burned the bodies.
Why did I like Seth? I liked Seth because he is a hard worker and never gives up.
Why did I choose to read Dark Water RISING? I choose this book because I wanted to learn about the hurricane.Also my techer made me read it.
Grade: 7, Date: May 11/2011
________________________________________
Dark Water RISING
The author of Dark Water RISING is Marian Hale.
This is a fictional story.
It was published by Henry Holt in 1866 and has 221 pages plus 12 Authors notes.
The setting is: Galveston Texas in the year 1900.
The main character is Seth and other characters are Uncle Nate, Mr.Farrel, mom, and dad.
Here is what happened early in the story: Seth and his family moved to Galveston by train. They were waiting for Uncle Nate to pick them up. He came and picked them up and showed them around. Then they went to aunt’s house to spend the night because they did not have a house in Galveston.
Here is what happened during the story: Seth got a job building houses for Mr.Farrel with some other boys. Then meets Mr. Covington and he was asking about Mr.Farrel and asking about how Mr.Farrel works. His aunt of the story had given Josiah some food and he was thankful.
Here is what happened at the end: Seth and his co-workers had went home and they got home right before the hurricane hit. After the hurricane water had went down the town was completely torn to peices. When the people tryed to sink the bodies they came back so they burned the bodies.
Why did I like Seth? I liked Seth because he is a hard worker and never gives up.
Why did I choose to read Dark Water RISING? I choose this book because I wanted to learn about the hurricane.Also my techer made me read it.
July 19, 2009
There are so many books out there about the 1900 storm in Galveston, and I have read a handful of them. This one pales in comparison. The reader does not develop a committment to the main character, and the character doesn't grow and change much over the course of the book. Descriptions are rather dull and do not evoke images. I prefer Devil Storm and Isaac's Storm to this account.
March 5, 2018
This book had a very slow start and I feel like it was still somewhat slow throughout the whole thing, this could be a factor to make people put this book down. In end I ended up somewhat enjoying this story and now I know a bit more about this time period because I did not know much about this particular storm before.
January 10, 2021
Pre-read this book before handing it to my kid. Well written and action packed but emotionally wrenching (dead and dying people, voices in the rubble calling to be rescued, infant nearly dying etc) for a young child. Very immersive account of the Great Storm of 1900 Galveston. I'd rate it age 12+ for the emotional content.
March 11, 2025
I’m trying to read the boys’ required reading at school. This was a new one for me. A historical fiction account of the 1900 hurricane that decimated Galveston. Definitely worth a read!
May 3, 2023
I bet you ANYTHING I would have enjoyed this so much more if we hadn’t read it at school.
August 13, 2017
The book and overall plot was as expected but I wished the storm part of the book would've lasted longer:
October 4, 2019
This is an interesting book based on fact. It is heart breaking to read about the devastation that was caused by a hurricane in Galveston Texas in 1900.
October 18, 2019
Oh my gosh!! I knew about the flood, but I was in shock over how fast things happened. These poor people had no way of knowing what was about to happen to them. I had no idea that all of Galveston was raised afterwards because of this flood. Marian Hale did a wonderful job. I felt like I was right there with everyone. I am a Texas girl myself, so this is a part of our history. I will be purchasing this book to add to my library.
May 19, 2011
The author of Dark Water Rising is Marian Hale.
This is a fictional story.
It was published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC in 1866 and has 221 pages.
The setting is in Galveston, TX.
The main character is Seth and other characters are Ella Rose, Kate, Henry, Ezra, Josiah, Mr.Farrel, Aunt Julia, Uncle Nate, Ben, Seth's Parents, Ella Rose's father, etc.
Here is what hapened early in the story: Seth's family decide to move to Galveston, TX to start a new life, after all, they do say "Galveston is like the New York of Texas". Everyone is excited about the move, everyone except for Seth. Seth wants to be a carpenter but his dad wants him to go to college and become a doctor, Seth isn't happy about that idea.
Here is what happened during the story: Seth and his family arrive at Galveston. Seth's dad tells him he got a job for him as a carpenter, but only during the summer and only to save money for college. There he meets Mr.Farrel (boss), Henry, and Josiah (workers). It doesn't take long until Seth meets a girl; she goes by the name of Ella Rose, they become friends. Everything seems to be going great for seth, his family, and his friends, that is, until the Gulf starts acting funny and beggins to rain.
Here is what happened at the end of the story: "Hurricane!", Galveston is being hit with a Hurricane! Seth and Josiah go and save Ella Rose and his family. Once they do, they take them to Ezra's house (Josiah's Grandfather) They all survive the storm but some lives are lost. Ella Rose and Seth become closer at the end of the story but you have to read it to find out what happened, also read it to find out if Seth goes to college or not.
Why did i like Seth? Well, Seth was an inspiring character; he risked his life along with Josiah to save the people he loved.
Why did i choose to read this book? Well I began to read it because i had to do a book report but then the book got interesting and i decided to read it for fun.
I liked the book for this reason: Even though it doesn't have a lot of romance it still has drama and trust me, this book is filled with drama from the start!
This is a fictional story.
It was published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC in 1866 and has 221 pages.
The setting is in Galveston, TX.
The main character is Seth and other characters are Ella Rose, Kate, Henry, Ezra, Josiah, Mr.Farrel, Aunt Julia, Uncle Nate, Ben, Seth's Parents, Ella Rose's father, etc.
Here is what hapened early in the story: Seth's family decide to move to Galveston, TX to start a new life, after all, they do say "Galveston is like the New York of Texas". Everyone is excited about the move, everyone except for Seth. Seth wants to be a carpenter but his dad wants him to go to college and become a doctor, Seth isn't happy about that idea.
Here is what happened during the story: Seth and his family arrive at Galveston. Seth's dad tells him he got a job for him as a carpenter, but only during the summer and only to save money for college. There he meets Mr.Farrel (boss), Henry, and Josiah (workers). It doesn't take long until Seth meets a girl; she goes by the name of Ella Rose, they become friends. Everything seems to be going great for seth, his family, and his friends, that is, until the Gulf starts acting funny and beggins to rain.
Here is what happened at the end of the story: "Hurricane!", Galveston is being hit with a Hurricane! Seth and Josiah go and save Ella Rose and his family. Once they do, they take them to Ezra's house (Josiah's Grandfather) They all survive the storm but some lives are lost. Ella Rose and Seth become closer at the end of the story but you have to read it to find out what happened, also read it to find out if Seth goes to college or not.
Why did i like Seth? Well, Seth was an inspiring character; he risked his life along with Josiah to save the people he loved.
Why did i choose to read this book? Well I began to read it because i had to do a book report but then the book got interesting and i decided to read it for fun.
I liked the book for this reason: Even though it doesn't have a lot of romance it still has drama and trust me, this book is filled with drama from the start!
January 1, 2015
SUMMARY: Galveston, Texas, may be the booming city of the brand-new twentieth century, but to Seth, it is the end of a dream. He longs to be a carpenter like his father, but his family has moved to Galveston so he can go to a good school. Still, the last few weeks of summer might not be so bad. Seth has a real job as a builder and the beach is within walking distance. Things seem to be looking up, until a storm warning is raised one sweltering afternoon. No one could have imagined anything like this. Giant walls of water crash in from the sea. Shingles and bricks are deadly missiles flying through the air. People not hit by flying debris are swept away by rushing water. Forget the future, Seth and his family will be lucky to survive the next twenty-four hours.
REVIEW: Having lived near Galveston for 30 years and hearing the many stories of the horrible 1900 hurricane, it was fascinating to read a fictional account from the perspective of a young adult. This was definitely a coming-of-age story and the historical detail that Ms. Hale included although sad and harrowing gave a true tale of the horrors that occurred from this disaster. She showed the heroics of the Galvestonians as well as their grit and determination in rebuilding their destroyed city. Seth and his family as well as Josiah and Ezra all showed the strength, resilience, and reliance on one another that allowed them to survive and overcome this epoch tragedy.
REVIEW: Having lived near Galveston for 30 years and hearing the many stories of the horrible 1900 hurricane, it was fascinating to read a fictional account from the perspective of a young adult. This was definitely a coming-of-age story and the historical detail that Ms. Hale included although sad and harrowing gave a true tale of the horrors that occurred from this disaster. She showed the heroics of the Galvestonians as well as their grit and determination in rebuilding their destroyed city. Seth and his family as well as Josiah and Ezra all showed the strength, resilience, and reliance on one another that allowed them to survive and overcome this epoch tragedy.
September 25, 2012
Living near Galveston, this book had particular meaning for me and I really enjoyed reading a well researched fictional account of the storm and its aftermath. Seth is an immediately likeable character who is hard working, kind and considerate, but still has moments of relatable humanity such as being annoyed at having to take his sister to the outhouse. The language of the story flows off the author's pen in a smooth way that fosters a feeling of comfort and home. Seth and his family are important because they could have been our family. The horrors of the storm are handled beautifully by speaking mostly in personal human terms and not dwelling on the gruesomeness of the actual deaths. This is an important story, and this book is a great way to introduce young people to the tragedy in a relatable way.
December 9, 2011
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and the Indian Ocean Tsunami that devastated Thailand & India, young adults today have a new understanding of what Mother Earth can do. Seth, the protagonist of Dark Water Rising has no such understanding until he moves to Galveston, Texas. While the novel has a somewhat slow beginning, readers who stick out the first few chapters will learn that Galveston was the place to be in 1900, second only to New York City. They will learn that Katrina was not the first Hurricane to wreak havoc on the Gulf Coast, and they may be driven to mourn the loss of our Texas ancestors and the stolen possibilities that Galveston promised. This novel is a skillful weaving of fiction and fact that certainly saddened my soul.
June 21, 2013
I read this historical fiction book about the September 8, 1900 Galveston, TX flood in 24 hours. It was really compelling and well written. I felt like I was there with the main character as he moved to Galveston, TX, experienced the hurricane and flooding, and began to rebuild the town. It really captured the history and gave you a glimpse of what hurricane survivors may have experience. Historians say 12,000 people died in this storm while the records state only 5,000, but there is no way of really knowing because so many perished. Imagine that many people, homes, animals, and lives just washed away in one day. She did a great job and this book is appealing to both boys and girls and adults like me.
February 19, 2009
If you thought Hurricane Katrina was bad, read this book to find out what it's like to be in a devastating fatal hurricane in 1908--when there was no warning other than "oh, a storm's coming, not to worry." 17-year-old Seth has just moved to Galveston Texas with his family, where he plans to become a carpenter after graduating high school--if he can convince his father that college and medical school are not the right fit for him. He's just met a beautiful blonde girl in his neighborhood, things are looking up: but then the worst storm in a century hits. Very realistic storm survival scenes, amazing flooding, dead bodies everywhere, suspenseful and gritty and a good coming-of-age story too.
January 30, 2020
Seth is the protagonist of the emotional and interesting journey he had throughout the story. This story reflects the difficulties on Seth's family to survive to the dramatic earthquake. The girl that made Seth fall in love and his favorite bro. Seth has up and downs in his life because of the decision he needs to take to move on, for example, becoming a carpenter or going to medical school. This decision lead to the plot of the story where a very big storm attacks the city of Galveston and makes a lot of damage to families and to the city.
June 18, 2009
This may be one of the best if not the best historical fiction book I have read. Seth lives in Galveston at the time of the hurricane of 1900 and tells the story from his point of view. Hale's writing is almost poetical in parts and takes the historical facts from the information of Isaac, the meterologist at that time. You really must read this book!
July 26, 2009
This has been probably my favorite historical fiction book ever! It's about the Galveston Hurricane in 1900, and the destruction and devastation that followed. However, this wasn't a depressing book. It's more heroics, learning how to overcome challenges, and seeing the good in the bad.
May 20, 2022
I will never go to Galveston and not have these images in my mind. Such a great book.
February 13, 2023
As an adult reading this middle grade book about the 1900 Galveston storm I admit that I knew nothing of this event. I found this book quite interesting/informative and it held my attention.
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May 18, 2023 Dark Water Rising by Marian Hale. Seth and his family moved to Galveston, Texas in the 1900s to be closer to family and to find better opportunities. Seth’s father wants his kids to get a good education, and to become doctors when they are older, but Seth wants to be a carpenter. As they are settling into their new lives, a giant hurricane comes and destroys it all. Seth and his friend, Josiah, find safety in a house with lots of other people who have lost loved ones or don’t have anywhere to go. After the hurricane settles down, they go see the damage and find lots of dead people. After searching for a while, Seth and Josiah both find their families safe. They work at refixing their lives and trying to get things back to normal, and after seeing what Seth can do, his father starts a carpentry business with him.
The theme of Dark Water Rising is that bad things are going to happen, but if you power through and have hope, you can make it through. There are many examples throughout the book of things that Seth and his family power through. At the beginning of the book, Seth has to have hope that his father will allow him to be a carpenter when he is older. “ I couldn’t give up on what I wanted any more than he could” (pg. 12). This textual evidence shows that he wouldn’t give up hope that he would be allowed to do what he loved. In the middle of the book, the storm happens, and Seth powers through the storm and has hope that they will make it through. “ Gratitude swelled inside me. The house looked far better than many. Surely everyone was safe inside” (pg. 123). This shows that he had hope when he saw that the house was standing and he thought everyone would be safe. In the end of the book, Seth’s father surprises him by telling him that he can be a carpenter with him.” Papa had already planned this day when he chose to work on that rail bridge” (pg. 221). This shows that with hope and faith, you can make it through. His father wanted to make sure he was ready before trusting him with this job.
I thought that Dark Water Rising was all right. I like the book because I really like historical fiction, and this book was something I had never read anything about before. It was very interesting to learn about, and I thought that it was quite accurate with the actual facts that had been provided about the hurricane. The actual flood part of the book went by too fast, and I would’ve liked to see more about that part. The beginning was slow, and nothing really happened until the flood. I liked how intense the story was, and how it showed the reader what really happened. My favorite part of the book was when Seth was reunited with Ella Rose after the hurricane because it was so uplifting. I liked the ending because it was happy after so much depressing stuff had happened. The author uses action to provoke the reader and to bring the story forward. “ Wind whipped at the torn clothing around my feet and whistled around my ears, then I heard something else” (pg. 112). This textual evidence is proof that the author uses action in the book. The author also uses describing words to make the text more interesting. “ I'd likely be crushed under its weight, or maybe thrown right through the missing roof, immersed in muddy, pitch- black water, and tangled in debris to drown” (pg. 92). This shows some of the describing words, like muddy. Overall it was a good book.
The theme of Dark Water Rising is that bad things are going to happen, but if you power through and have hope, you can make it through. There are many examples throughout the book of things that Seth and his family power through. At the beginning of the book, Seth has to have hope that his father will allow him to be a carpenter when he is older. “ I couldn’t give up on what I wanted any more than he could” (pg. 12). This textual evidence shows that he wouldn’t give up hope that he would be allowed to do what he loved. In the middle of the book, the storm happens, and Seth powers through the storm and has hope that they will make it through. “ Gratitude swelled inside me. The house looked far better than many. Surely everyone was safe inside” (pg. 123). This shows that he had hope when he saw that the house was standing and he thought everyone would be safe. In the end of the book, Seth’s father surprises him by telling him that he can be a carpenter with him.” Papa had already planned this day when he chose to work on that rail bridge” (pg. 221). This shows that with hope and faith, you can make it through. His father wanted to make sure he was ready before trusting him with this job.
I thought that Dark Water Rising was all right. I like the book because I really like historical fiction, and this book was something I had never read anything about before. It was very interesting to learn about, and I thought that it was quite accurate with the actual facts that had been provided about the hurricane. The actual flood part of the book went by too fast, and I would’ve liked to see more about that part. The beginning was slow, and nothing really happened until the flood. I liked how intense the story was, and how it showed the reader what really happened. My favorite part of the book was when Seth was reunited with Ella Rose after the hurricane because it was so uplifting. I liked the ending because it was happy after so much depressing stuff had happened. The author uses action to provoke the reader and to bring the story forward. “ Wind whipped at the torn clothing around my feet and whistled around my ears, then I heard something else” (pg. 112). This textual evidence is proof that the author uses action in the book. The author also uses describing words to make the text more interesting. “ I'd likely be crushed under its weight, or maybe thrown right through the missing roof, immersed in muddy, pitch- black water, and tangled in debris to drown” (pg. 92). This shows some of the describing words, like muddy. Overall it was a good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews