Washed Ashore

by Kerr Thomson

Overview

A unique, moving thriller for teens of all ages--set by the sea and with a dark undercurrent underneath--and a perfect summer read that's A Long Walk to Water meets Eliot Schrefer.

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...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545904230
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/30/2017
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

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.

Editorial Reviews

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)

From the Publisher

05/01/2017
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

School Library Journal

2017-03-15
The peace of a remote Scottish island is shattered when two bodies wash up on the beach. One is a whale; the other is human.When 15-year-old Hayley's mother needs to travel to Europe for her research, Hayley imagines London or Paris, not the island of Nin, with its painfully slow Wi-Fi and nonexistent cellphone service. As a local, Fraser is used to the quiet life, but he wishes for something to interrupt his predictable holiday. Hayley, as rude as she is beautiful, is definitely a mixed bag. When Dunny, Fraser's electively mute little brother, discovers a man hiding in the caves above the beach, it is up to the three white kids to figure out how to help the stranded man, who is black, get to safety. But human traffickers are dangerous foes, and they soon find themselves in over their heads. The richly scenic setting and unusual story hold promise, but it is marred by static characters and an aimlessly meandering plot. Hayley is the blonde, loud cheerleader from Texas, and Fraser is the introspective dreamer with a love for the sea. Only Dunny, with his mysterious ability to communicate with the whales, is engaging, although that portrayal subscribes to yet another stereotype. A promising and timely story that never finds its sea legs. (Fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews