SOLVED. Middle grade or YA chapter book about kids in a village where the sea goes away, they go out on the sea floor and find an old boat. A big wave comes back and carries the kids and the boat into the jungle. [s]

[Molly]

Middle grade or YA chapter book about kids in a village where the sea goes away, they go out on the sea floor and find an old boat. A big wave comes back and carries the kids and the boat into the jungle. They try to find their village but find an abandoned village. I think they also meet a hermit or a crazy guy in the woods at one point. I read it in the mid 90s.

[Rainbowheart]

Is there a particular main character, or is it just about a group of kids?

Do you know where the book takes place, Europe, Asia, tropical island, etc? Are the children white or native or indigenous?

[Molly]

I think there was a boy main character but I am not sure. My memory is that is follows a group of kids from this village. One morning they see that the tide has gone way out and go exploring on the mud flats and find an old sunken ship. While they are exploring the ship a huge wave comes and picks up the ship with them on board and carries it up into the woods/jungle. They have to make their way back to the coast on foot. They get the the coast and find a village they think is theirs but it looks like it has been abandoned for years. They meet an old hermit man who helps them. And in the end it turns out the abandoned village they found was the old site of their village that had been moved many years earlier so that it would be protected from a tsunami. They eventually make it home to their village and all is well. I know it sounds like it doesn't make a lot of sense, but that is why I want to find it and read it as an adult to see if it makes more sense.

[Rainbowheart]

Low Tide?

[Molly]

Yes! That sounds like it, thank you.

[Rainbowheart]

Great, glad to help out!