First published 2021
Galveston sparkles like diamonds in 1900. The Texas island city bustles with cotton ships and immigrant families. Streets paved with crushed oyster shells gleam in the sun. When storm clouds gather on September 8, residents flock to the beach to watch the waves. They expect another ordinary tempest. The boy joins the crowd, thrilled by the wild surf crashing toward shore. But the waters keep rising. What began as seaside entertainment transforms into terror as the hurricane slams into Galveston. The storm destroys hundreds of homes and kills eight thousand people. The glittering city nearly vanishes beneath the surge. The boy manages to reach safety as morning breaks over the devastation. Yet he cannot rest while his neighbors remain trapped in the flooded ruins. He plunges back into the dangerous waters to help rescue survivors. His choice between personal safety and community loyalty drives this story of courage during America's most lethal natural disaster.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: community-loyalty, courage, heroism
Setting: Galveston, Texas
Period: 1900
144 pages · Paperback · Scholastic Inc.