Reviewed by: Higher Ground Karen Coats Goyal, Anuj , ed. Higher Ground. Chrysalis/Trafalgar Square, 2006160p illus. with photographs Paper ed. ISBN 1-84458-581-6$8.99 Ad Gr. 5-8 Sixteen stories of real children from nine different countries who (with one exception) survived the 2004 tsunami are retold by renowned children's authors (mostly British, including luminaries such as Tim Bowler and Melvin Burgess) in this anthology directed toward keeping aid efforts alive in the region. According to the introduction, the stories are based on accounts gathered by relief workers, and each story is followed by an update focused either on that particular child or on the work that is being done in the area described by the story. The intro also includes information about the tsunami itself and applauds the efforts of young people who responded with donations following the tragedy. As survivor accounts, the stories are important both for their on-the-ground immediacy of what the tsunami was actually like and for their healing potential. Narratively, however, they sometimes fall short: most focus on the moment of impact, leaving some readers with questions regarding what life was like before the disaster, and most optimistically feature the reunion of the child with at least one parent. Emotional depth and range is strangely stunted in many of the stories, especially as the follow-up notes repeatedly emphasize that children are being helped and are back on their way to being happy and carefree, whatever their status was before the wave hit. Thus, the need for optimism and a strong belief in the resilience of children seem to trump [End Page 401] emotional honesty or at least foreshorten the grieving process in the stories, though the follow-up accounts do highlight the attention that is being given to children's psychological as well as physical needs. Black-and-white copies of pictures drawn by children who experienced the tsunami front each story, and some full-color plates are included. Information about the charities is also provided for readers moved to make donations. Copyright © 2006 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois