On vacation in Oregon, Kyle and his younger sister, BeeBee, spend the evening in a hotel while their parents attend a business dinner. When an earthquake jolts the area, the kids must first escape a fire at the hotel, then head for higher ground as a tsunami speeds toward the coast. Kyle's first-person narrative effectively sustains suspense in this fast-paced adventure.

Gr 5-8-An earthquake, followed by a tsunami, hits the Oregon coast where 13-year-old Kyle is vacationing with his family. His parents are on a yacht, celebrating his realtor father's Salesman of the Year award, and Kyle must get his eight-year-old sister out of their burning hotel and up the hill, away from the beach. As they escape, he also saves the life of a bully who has tormented him since grade school. Later, after seeing Daren for the lying coward he is, Kyle stands up to him, ending the abusive behavior. Kyle's self-image is transformed through his experience with the tsunami and the bully. While this is a satisfying read for victims of bullying, it is unremarkable in plot and style. One character does stand out, Kyle's sister, BeeBee, a financial whiz who follows the stock market and names her teddy bear after Bill Gates. A bibliography of books, Web sites, a video, and pamphlets about tsunamis is included.-Laurie von Mehren, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.