Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood by Robert Beatty

 I was so excited to get my hands on today's read. I adore the cover with the cranes, storm, and girl pushing forward through it on her horse. It looks exciting, and the blurb definitely has me hooked. I hope my expectations aren't shattered. But I'm feeling good about this one.

And as a side note, this one takes place in North Carolina and tells about the huge destruction during a hurricane. I can't help but sigh.

SYLVIA DOE AND THE 100-YEAR FLOOD

by Robert Beatty

Disney Hyperion

Middle Grade Magical Realism

320 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

OCTOBER 8th!!!

Sylvia Doe doesn't know where she was born or the people she came from. She doesn't even know her real last name. Sylvia has lived at the Highground Home for Children in the mountains of North Carolina for as long as she can remember. Whenever the administrators place her with a foster family in the city, she runs away, back to her horse Kitty Hawk—her best friend—and the other horses in the herd, the only place she feels like she belongs.

When Hurricane Jessamine causes the remote mountain valley where she lives to flood, Sylvia must rescue her beloved horses. But she begins to encounter strange and wondrous things floating down the river. Glittering gemstones and wild animals that don't belong — everything's out of place. Then she spots an unconscious boy floating in the water. As she drags him onto the shore and their adventure together begins, Sylvia wonders who he is and where he came from. And why does she feel such a strong connection to this mysterious boy?

SYLVIA DOE has earned the prestigious STARRED REVIEW from both Kirkus Reviews and Publisher's Weekly. The award-winning author Kwame Alexander praised the story, saying "Magical realism at its best!"

GOODREADS     /      PUBLISHER 

MY TIDBITS

Get ready for high-tension and one dangerous situation after the next because this read keeps the pacing high, allowing the reader to only come up for a breath every now and then.

Sylvia wanted the latest foster home to work, but the news of the hurricane propelled her worries to the extreme, leaving her no choice but to run away and head back to the horses she'd helped tend for years. She had to make sure they were safe. After days of traveling, she arrives only to find that the horses are in danger. As the floods come in full thrust, odd things start to happen, but Sylvia has little time to take notice since not only the horses' lives are in danger, but those of others as well. She's determined to do everything she can to help...even if it could never be enough and might cost her life.

This is a fast-paced read, which heads into a beautiful landscape and rides on the devastation of a massive storm. The author does a wonderful job at working in descriptions to let the reader sink into the surroundings, while never treading near the word boring. Sylvia finds herself in more than a few deadly situations, and the tension keeps the reader at the edge of their seat. The writing flows nicely while bringing across each scene clearly and with the fitting emotion. It's an enjoyable read from beginning to end.

While Sylvia and her lovely horse are up against the violence of Mother Nature, she's also dealing with mysteries surrounding her own past. As if that wasn't enough, there are more subplots thanks to the other characters, which thicken the tale's weave. Add the sprinkles of light fantasy, and there's quite a bit to enjoy. 

And here he is...

Robert Beatty lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and three daughters, who help create and refine his stories. He loves to explore the grand Biltmore Estate and the darkened forest trails where his novels take place. Robert’s Disney Hyperion novel Serafina and the Black Cloak will go on sale July 14, 2015. He writes full-time now, but in his past lives, Robert was one of the early pioneers of cloud computing, the founder/CEO of Plex Systems, the co-founder of Beatty Robotics, and the chairman/CTO of Narrative Magazine. In 2007, he was named an Entrepreneur of the Year. Answering a question about the inspiration for his book, Robert said, “Serafina’s journey grew out of my desire to write a story about an unusual and heroic young girl for my three daughters.”