Nation (English)

A tsunami brings devastation--and the opportunity for new growth--into the lives of Mau (a native of a small South Pacific Island) and an aristocratic English girl named Daphne. Having been away from home for his rite of passage when the tsunami hit, Mau is the only member of his village to survive the deadly wave. He meets Daphne, the sole survivor of a ship that was crashed by the same wave, and the duo help each other cope with their twin tragedies. As time passes, Mau and Daphne welcome other survivors, who all band together to from a new kind of family. Set in the 19th century, this novel explores such themes as religious beliefs, human values, free will, and the meaning of family. A 2009 Printz Honor Book, as well as a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008. minimize