The Killing Sea

Two teens find each other surrounded by the destruction left in the wake of the most devastating tsunami the world has ever seen: Ruslan, a native of Aceh, in search of his missing father, whom he hopes has not been added to the fallen; and Sarah, an American girl, who has already lost her mother and is now struggling to find medical treatment for her sick brother.

Only together can they find what they're searching for.

Children's Literature

Sixteen-year-old Sarah and her family are sailing through the Indonesian islands during Christmas vacation. Sarah's little brother, Peter, annoying as always, and Surf Cat, a half-grown kitten he befriended, are savoring the adventure but Sarah wishes she was back home again with her friends. One morning Sarah's father, the intrepid captain of the crew, anchors the sailboat and they clamber ashore in search of a mechanic to fix their engine. Ruslan, a local Indonesian teenager, curiously watches them as they draw near. He is magnetized by Sarah's blue eyes. Supposing he'll never see her again, he returns home that night and quietly sketches her portrait. Then he gazes out the window at the quiet moon shadows. Little does he know that his peaceful world is about to be torn into shreds by an angry wall of black water that charges into his village like a demented monster. With vivid descriptions, the author takes readers on a journey of horrific devastation in the aftermath of a tsunami. But he also weaves in a story of courage, hope, friendship, and survival as Ruslan, Sarah, Surf Cat, and other survivors struggle against fear, hunger, illness, rebels lurking in the shadows, and unspeakable scenes of death and decay in their effort to find missing family members and get medical help for Sarah's little brother, Peter. An excellent resource for generating discussions about tsunamis and other natural disasters, grief and loss, and friendship. Good for independent reading. Please note: Some disturbing scenes are included, as this. novel is based on the 2004 tsunami that struck Indonesia on Christmas Eve.

Richard Lewis is the son of American missionary parents. Although he attended university in the United States, he was born, raised, and lives in Bali, Indonesia. He is the author of four books for young adults, including Monster's Proof, The Demon Queen and The Killing Sea.