Kerr Thomson's "Washed Ashore" tells the tale of intrigue on a remote Scottish island. While the book does start in the middle of a terrible storm, the aftermath will compel you to keep reading.
Did Fraser Dunbar really hear voices crying for help amidst the rising swells and the crashing waves? Why and how did a whale get killed and wash ashore of this ghost isle? Who was the man who washed ashore and why is one hiding in the caves?
These are mysteries to be solved, but more pressing matters seem to be Fraser's desire to be recognized by the newcomer and whale scientist, Ben McCraig, to ditch the rude American girl who arrived from Texas with her mother, and to stop being blamed for everything that his brother Dunny does.
The story hits a crescendo when Dunny steals McCraig's dinghy to go into the stormy waters to get a closer look at a pod of whales they had seen the night before.
What follows is a story of instinct, survival, and bravery, and our main character is never the same after that. He learns the hard truths about who to trust, as well as about how very wrong you can be about someone.
Thomson's "Washed Ashore" won't give you immediate answers, but it will keep you guessing right until the very end when you find yourself wondering, "Did he make it?"
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Washed Ashore Hardcover – May 30, 2017
by
Kerr Thomson
(Author)
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On a wild Scottish island, a tragedy washes up on the storm-beaten shore: the bodies of a whale and a man. Fraser, desperate for adventure, and Hayley, visiting from Texas, become tangled in the mystery.But Fraser's younger brother Dunny is distraught by the discovery. He hasn't spoken in years, and lately he's been acting more strangely than ever.Together, the three meet a man living in the abandoned caves nearby. They start to wonder if he might lie at the center of something darker than they had previously thought. For the whispering sea conceals a terrible secret, and to discover the truth, one of them must learn to listen...
- Reading age12 years and up
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level7 - 9
- Dimensions5.75 x 1.25 x 8.75 inches
- PublisherChicken House
- Publication dateMay 30, 2017
- ISBN-10054590420X
- ISBN-13978-0545904209
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up—In the wake of a giant storm just off the coast of Scotland's Isle of Nin, Fraser Dunbar and whale scientist Ben McCaig find the body of a pilot whale washed ashore, but that's not the only oddity in the tiny town of Skulavaig. Hayley Risso, an American transplant new to the island, befriends Fraser's brother, Dunny, who is mute and has autism. When Fraser, Hayley, and Dunny discover the body of a man washed ashore, they uncover a human trafficking ring that implicates someone on the island. It's up to them to keep the man safe, with the help of some surprising friends. This quiet mystery tells the story of two brothers who struggle to understand each other and to be understood. Fraser wants nothing more than for his younger brother to be "normal," but what he doesn't realize is that Dunny has a special gift, one that will bring them closer if only the older brother would listen. The plot is quiet yet compelling, matching the pace of life in the tiny town. The foundation of the mystery is laid tenuously, making the big reveal more hollow than surprising. Nevertheless, Fraser and Dunny will compel readers forward, and teens will be captivated by the mysteries that lie beneath the ocean and how alike yet different the siblings really are. VERDICT A good purchase for libraries with fans of light mysteries and mythology about the sea.—Jessica Holland, University of Kentucky, Lexington
Review
Advance Praise for The Sound of Whales:
"I was gripped . . . Thomson's ambitious plot, tight, poetic, prose and feel for history is a breath of island air." --The Times (UK)
"There are so many great things that I enjoyed about this book . . . a very original debut read and one not to be missed. This is a book that should be read and will be loved by many." --Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books blog (UK)
"Highly original without being overtly quirky." --Glasgow Herald (UK)
"This magical and enlightening adventure story, set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Scottish coast, is a touching tale of friendship and hidden strengths . . . an extraordinary, must-read story." --Lancashire Evening Post (UK)
"A suspenseful novel, full of secrets and betrayals, this book is a real page turner . . . The plot is gripping from page one and rolls on in the most compelling manner from there . . . [a] very satisfying read with wide appeal and enduring charm." --School Librarian Journal (UK)
"I was gripped . . . Thomson's ambitious plot, tight, poetic, prose and feel for history is a breath of island air." --The Times (UK)
"There are so many great things that I enjoyed about this book . . . a very original debut read and one not to be missed. This is a book that should be read and will be loved by many." --Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books blog (UK)
"Highly original without being overtly quirky." --Glasgow Herald (UK)
"This magical and enlightening adventure story, set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Scottish coast, is a touching tale of friendship and hidden strengths . . . an extraordinary, must-read story." --Lancashire Evening Post (UK)
"A suspenseful novel, full of secrets and betrayals, this book is a real page turner . . . The plot is gripping from page one and rolls on in the most compelling manner from there . . . [a] very satisfying read with wide appeal and enduring charm." --School Librarian Journal (UK)
About the Author
Kerr Thomson is a high school geography teacher. In his infrequent spare time he writes, cycles, and runs an occasional half-marathon. Washed Ashore was winner of the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition in the United Kingdom and is his publishing debut. He lives in Scotland with his family.
Product details
- Publisher : Chicken House (May 30, 2017)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 054590420X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0545904209
- Reading age : 12 years and up
- Grade level : 7 - 9
- Item Weight : 14.1 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.75 x 1.25 x 8.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #6,193,530 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #473 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Emigration & Immigration
- #13,090 in Teen & Young Adult Mysteries & Detective Stories
- #964,985 in Children's Books (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2017
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- Amanda PollockReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Excellent story