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Safe as Houses
The date is October 15, 1954. Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth, who lives in the Toronto suburb of Weston, is a typical grade 8 girl. She has a secret crush on a boy in her class and she thinks Elvis Presley is "dreamy." Elizabeth also has a part-time job babysitting an adorable little grade 2 girl named Suzie, and Suzie’s not-so-adorable grade 6 brother, David. Elizabeth’s job is to walk Suzie and David home after school and then stay at their house with them until their mother gets home from work. David resents Elizabeth because he thinks he is too old for a babysitter, and he goes out of his way to make life miserable for her.
On this particular evening, however, Elizabeth has more than a badly behaved boy to contend with. It is on this October night that Hurricane Hazel roars down on Toronto, bringing torrential rains that cause extensive flooding. David and Suzie’s house is on Raymore Drive, a street that will be practically wiped out by the floodwaters.
David and Suzie’s parents are unable to reach the house, which means the children’s safety on this most deadly of nights is Elizabeth’s responsibility. She finds herself increasingly isolated. They are surrounded by rising water. The electricity goes out. The phone goes dead. Still, Elizabeth is sure they will be safe as long as they remain in the house.
But are Elizabeth and the children really as "safe as houses"? Before this terrifying night is over, Elizabeth and David will have to learn to communicate and cooperate if they are to save their own lives and Suzie’s. Their survival in the midst of one of Canada’s worst disasters will depend upon their resourcefulness, maturity and courage.
On this particular evening, however, Elizabeth has more than a badly behaved boy to contend with. It is on this October night that Hurricane Hazel roars down on Toronto, bringing torrential rains that cause extensive flooding. David and Suzie’s house is on Raymore Drive, a street that will be practically wiped out by the floodwaters.
David and Suzie’s parents are unable to reach the house, which means the children’s safety on this most deadly of nights is Elizabeth’s responsibility. She finds herself increasingly isolated. They are surrounded by rising water. The electricity goes out. The phone goes dead. Still, Elizabeth is sure they will be safe as long as they remain in the house.
But are Elizabeth and the children really as "safe as houses"? Before this terrifying night is over, Elizabeth and David will have to learn to communicate and cooperate if they are to save their own lives and Suzie’s. Their survival in the midst of one of Canada’s worst disasters will depend upon their resourcefulness, maturity and courage.
176 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2007
About the author
Eric Walters
150 books873 followersEric was born in Toronto in 1957, which makes him "real old". But, as Eric says, "Just because I have to grow old doesn't mean that I have to grow up!" In his many roles as parent, teacher, social worker, youth sports coach and writer he is in constant contact with children and young adults. He draws from these experiences and feels that this helps him to capture the realistic interaction between young people - the conflicts, tensions, stresses and interests that make up their lives.
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories - picture books and novels - to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for STARS), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger By The Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped In Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons - specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie The Poodle).
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories - picture books and novels - to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for STARS), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger By The Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped In Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons - specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie The Poodle).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
February 8, 2019
3.5 Quick YA read and super interesting because it´s based on a true story - one I had no idea happened!
In 1954 Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto and dumped so much rain that houses on the Humber river were submerged and floated away.
Yep. Houses.
81 people died, and 56 more would have, if two wild men in a small motorboat hadn't gone out again and again and plucked survivors from roofs and trees. Wow!
In 1954 Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto and dumped so much rain that houses on the Humber river were submerged and floated away.
Yep. Houses.
81 people died, and 56 more would have, if two wild men in a small motorboat hadn't gone out again and again and plucked survivors from roofs and trees. Wow!
April 4, 2009
This was definitely one of my favourite books yet! I read it in two days. Despite wishing there was a family reunion at the end of the story, I loved the book thoroughly. I wish there was a sequel!
Read
October 22, 2013 The novel Safe as Houses by Eric Walters is an astonishing book. It is about a 13 year old girl named Elizabeth Hardy who babysits the McBride children David and Suzie. One day they are walking home from school near the Huber River in Weston Ontario, through a rainstorm. Soon they realize it is no ordinary rainstorm. Water floods the back yard, turns out the power, floods roads which stopped Mr. and Mrs. McBride from coming home. Soon the flooding begins to invade the McBride’s home and Elizabeth, David, Suzie and their dog Daisy try desperately to escape and survive the flood.
The main characters are Elizabeth, David and Suzie who are ordinary children but on October 15th 1954 must make extraordinary decisions which may depend on each other’s lives. Even little Suzie, who is 5 years old, must go through a horrid flood and scary experiences.
The characters ran into many problems between the power being turned out and the rainstorm and flood. Honestly, I don’t know how they could have survived. Although they had survived , they lost many things including their beloved dog Daisy. I could never imagine going through a flood and losing my dog it would be my worst nightmare.
My favorite character is David because I really like his personality and I find him very funny. I also like David because he is very brave and although he can be stubborn and rude at times, he is still a nice and friendly person. As much as I want to be like David I could never be like him. For instance, during the flood he came up with an idea to save Suzie, Elizabeth and Daisy but in order to do that he had to dive into the freezing cold water and go to the bottom of the room to get tools and break the roof open. I don’t think I could ever do something as brave as that.
Safe as Houses is probably my favorite book of all-time. It is interesting, funny, frightening and realistic. This book has everything I think a book should have. Between all the gripping details and action, I can honestly say I love this book. I also like this book because every time I pick it up and start to read it, I don’t want to put it down even for a moment because it grabs my attention.
My favorite part of the book is when the flood starts because I found that it shocks you and you will want to keep reading to find out what happens next. The way the author described the reactions of the characters made me feel like I was really there going through the flood with them.
Although I loved this book, my least favorite part would be when the dog Daisy falls off of the roof into the water and drowns. I don’t like that part because the dog dies and I know how hard that would be to go through a horrible flood and then lose your dog as well. Although I did not like that part, I know most good books usually lose a great character.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes nonfiction, interesting and action books. Anyone who enjoys these characteristics will like Safe as Houses as much as I do. This book may be interesting, action packed and realistic but is also humorous and definitely sad at times.
I think Eric Walters does a great job in describing the characters and telling the story. I really feel like this all just happened in front of my eyes and that all of these types of events could be real and certainly take place. Ever since I started reading Safe as Houses I never wanted to put the book down and considering I am not a big fan of reading that does not happen very often. Safe as Houses has changed my opinion in regards to reading and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Eric Walters career all started in 1993 when Eric was teaching a grade 5 class. His students were not good readers and did not like reading, so Eric tried to encourage them to become more involved in reading. He then created a book called “Stand your Ground” for his students and had used some of the students names to create the story. Ever since Eric published that book he has become a big time writer and has published many amazing different books like “Camp X, Tiger Trap, Camp 30, We all fall down and Flyboy”.
The main characters are Elizabeth, David and Suzie who are ordinary children but on October 15th 1954 must make extraordinary decisions which may depend on each other’s lives. Even little Suzie, who is 5 years old, must go through a horrid flood and scary experiences.
The characters ran into many problems between the power being turned out and the rainstorm and flood. Honestly, I don’t know how they could have survived. Although they had survived , they lost many things including their beloved dog Daisy. I could never imagine going through a flood and losing my dog it would be my worst nightmare.
My favorite character is David because I really like his personality and I find him very funny. I also like David because he is very brave and although he can be stubborn and rude at times, he is still a nice and friendly person. As much as I want to be like David I could never be like him. For instance, during the flood he came up with an idea to save Suzie, Elizabeth and Daisy but in order to do that he had to dive into the freezing cold water and go to the bottom of the room to get tools and break the roof open. I don’t think I could ever do something as brave as that.
Safe as Houses is probably my favorite book of all-time. It is interesting, funny, frightening and realistic. This book has everything I think a book should have. Between all the gripping details and action, I can honestly say I love this book. I also like this book because every time I pick it up and start to read it, I don’t want to put it down even for a moment because it grabs my attention.
My favorite part of the book is when the flood starts because I found that it shocks you and you will want to keep reading to find out what happens next. The way the author described the reactions of the characters made me feel like I was really there going through the flood with them.
Although I loved this book, my least favorite part would be when the dog Daisy falls off of the roof into the water and drowns. I don’t like that part because the dog dies and I know how hard that would be to go through a horrible flood and then lose your dog as well. Although I did not like that part, I know most good books usually lose a great character.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes nonfiction, interesting and action books. Anyone who enjoys these characteristics will like Safe as Houses as much as I do. This book may be interesting, action packed and realistic but is also humorous and definitely sad at times.
I think Eric Walters does a great job in describing the characters and telling the story. I really feel like this all just happened in front of my eyes and that all of these types of events could be real and certainly take place. Ever since I started reading Safe as Houses I never wanted to put the book down and considering I am not a big fan of reading that does not happen very often. Safe as Houses has changed my opinion in regards to reading and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Eric Walters career all started in 1993 when Eric was teaching a grade 5 class. His students were not good readers and did not like reading, so Eric tried to encourage them to become more involved in reading. He then created a book called “Stand your Ground” for his students and had used some of the students names to create the story. Ever since Eric published that book he has become a big time writer and has published many amazing different books like “Camp X, Tiger Trap, Camp 30, We all fall down and Flyboy”.
October 10, 2016
amazing book about saving others during disater
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2020
Plot:
Elizabeth does not mind her job. After all, a girl could use a bit of side cash now and again. Her job, that her father got her, was to babysit Suzie and David, two kids who recently moved from the downtown of Toronto to the Weston suburb found outside of the city. Because Mr. and Mrs. McBride do not think David is responsible enough to look after his baby sister, they hired Elizabeth at least till January. Where babysitting Suzie is a treat, David is a nightmare as he tries to cause chaos for Elizabeth, just to show he does not want her there. On October 15, 1954, Hurricane Hazel was approaching the small town, and for the last few days have been bringing in a ton of rain. The McBrides’ house was located close to the river, which cause Elizabeth to worry, as the river has never been that high in her thirteen years of life. Using her Nana’s old saying: “They’re as safe as houses” (28), she puts faith into the McBrides shell of a house, to protect her and the children from the elements. When disaster hits, Elizabeth and David must work together in order to save themselves and Suzie from the water that knows no limit.
Thoughts:
Eric Walters wrote this book to remind people of that fateful day in a small Canadian suburb, and a way to get kids into history. Meant for middle school children and younger, myself with this book being my grade six class story, this book takes the historical element and adds a little twist to it. If written for older people, this book could be a lot gorier than it actually is. There are parts of the story that does not make any sense, like Elizabeth crush on a boy, has no relevance to the plot whatsoever, or the fact that there is no reason why Elizabeth’s mother did not storm down the McBrides house and take all three children with her to the top of the hill. Because Walters was trying to appeal to younger people to read this, he lost the older people’s interest. Walters's ending was extremely predictable, as unlike other children's books, there no lesson to be learned. This book was about a survival tale of a natural disaster and stayed towards the historical site of the tale and not going into global warming on if the natural disaster really was natural. For a book less than one hundred and fifty pages, winner of the red maple award, it is worth a flip through.
Elizabeth does not mind her job. After all, a girl could use a bit of side cash now and again. Her job, that her father got her, was to babysit Suzie and David, two kids who recently moved from the downtown of Toronto to the Weston suburb found outside of the city. Because Mr. and Mrs. McBride do not think David is responsible enough to look after his baby sister, they hired Elizabeth at least till January. Where babysitting Suzie is a treat, David is a nightmare as he tries to cause chaos for Elizabeth, just to show he does not want her there. On October 15, 1954, Hurricane Hazel was approaching the small town, and for the last few days have been bringing in a ton of rain. The McBrides’ house was located close to the river, which cause Elizabeth to worry, as the river has never been that high in her thirteen years of life. Using her Nana’s old saying: “They’re as safe as houses” (28), she puts faith into the McBrides shell of a house, to protect her and the children from the elements. When disaster hits, Elizabeth and David must work together in order to save themselves and Suzie from the water that knows no limit.
Thoughts:
Eric Walters wrote this book to remind people of that fateful day in a small Canadian suburb, and a way to get kids into history. Meant for middle school children and younger, myself with this book being my grade six class story, this book takes the historical element and adds a little twist to it. If written for older people, this book could be a lot gorier than it actually is. There are parts of the story that does not make any sense, like Elizabeth crush on a boy, has no relevance to the plot whatsoever, or the fact that there is no reason why Elizabeth’s mother did not storm down the McBrides house and take all three children with her to the top of the hill. Because Walters was trying to appeal to younger people to read this, he lost the older people’s interest. Walters's ending was extremely predictable, as unlike other children's books, there no lesson to be learned. This book was about a survival tale of a natural disaster and stayed towards the historical site of the tale and not going into global warming on if the natural disaster really was natural. For a book less than one hundred and fifty pages, winner of the red maple award, it is worth a flip through.
January 1, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Randomly thought about this book the other day, read for the first time in middle school and needed to reread. Not normally a fan of historical fiction but I enjoyed this one
Randomly thought about this book the other day, read for the first time in middle school and needed to reread. Not normally a fan of historical fiction but I enjoyed this one
November 14, 2023
Reread from my childhood. Interesting for me because it’s based on a true event in Ontario.
Read
February 5, 2022 this was literally a class reading👍
March 5, 2022
There are only a select few books from my teenage years that I remember reading and loving. Eric Walters was an author I absolutely loved starting in elementary school. I even met him and he signed a book for me.
Safe as houses is one of my top 2 favorite books by him, and I was feeling nostalgic, so I decided to reread it. It’s based on the true story of Hurricane Hazel. At the end of the book, it was crazy reading the words of Penny Philips who survived through the storm and inspired this story.
The story follows a teenage girl, Elizabeth, who’s babysitting two siblings, Suzie and David. They’re in the middle of a storm and their house, along with the whole neighbourhood in the valley, is being flooded by the rain. It’s such a captivating book and you almost feel like you’re there with them. It was also pretty fascinating to see how the characters grow, specifically David, but also Elizabeth, as the situation escalates.
Within the span of a few hours, the situation got worse and worse, and these kids try to find a way to save themselves as the streets turn into rivers and water begins to swallow houses. By the end, they make it up onto the roof of the house with nothing but water surrounding them.
The ending was more emotional than I remember. It’s hard to imagine being in this situation, especially since these 3 characters were just kids. They witnessed some pretty traumatizing things, but they truly didn’t give up. They kept finding ways to stay above the water as it climbed higher.
“But we always knew we were going to make it,” David said. He looked over at me. “We were safe as houses.”
Safe as houses is one of my top 2 favorite books by him, and I was feeling nostalgic, so I decided to reread it. It’s based on the true story of Hurricane Hazel. At the end of the book, it was crazy reading the words of Penny Philips who survived through the storm and inspired this story.
The story follows a teenage girl, Elizabeth, who’s babysitting two siblings, Suzie and David. They’re in the middle of a storm and their house, along with the whole neighbourhood in the valley, is being flooded by the rain. It’s such a captivating book and you almost feel like you’re there with them. It was also pretty fascinating to see how the characters grow, specifically David, but also Elizabeth, as the situation escalates.
Within the span of a few hours, the situation got worse and worse, and these kids try to find a way to save themselves as the streets turn into rivers and water begins to swallow houses. By the end, they make it up onto the roof of the house with nothing but water surrounding them.
The ending was more emotional than I remember. It’s hard to imagine being in this situation, especially since these 3 characters were just kids. They witnessed some pretty traumatizing things, but they truly didn’t give up. They kept finding ways to stay above the water as it climbed higher.
“But we always knew we were going to make it,” David said. He looked over at me. “We were safe as houses.”
February 21, 2015
"Fast-paced and dramatic..." is so true! It's a quick read, and one that you'll likely read in one or two sittings. You will probably become as absorbed as I did.
The characters are believable and real, Eric doesn't downplay the impact and severity of the event, or how children in this situation might react. Love his writing style, and I'll be sure to read more of his books.
Books based on historical events fascinate me, as they inspire me to learn more about that time period, and specifically about this particular event.
One of my favourite authors introduced to me by my teen daughters.
The characters are believable and real, Eric doesn't downplay the impact and severity of the event, or how children in this situation might react. Love his writing style, and I'll be sure to read more of his books.
Books based on historical events fascinate me, as they inspire me to learn more about that time period, and specifically about this particular event.
One of my favourite authors introduced to me by my teen daughters.
November 30, 2019
This book was so intense! My favourite Eric Walters one so far. I had no idea about hurricane Hazel, especially the fact that it flooded Toronto. I couldn't put this book down.
I couldn't imagine being in that situation. Trying to take care of two kids while the house is steadily flooding. Gives me the chills just thinking about it. I totally understand why Elizabeth kept thinking and worrying about her silly shoes. People do weird things when they're scared.
I wish he had added the family reunion because that would have been so sweet and comforting, knowing that their families were okay.
I love the fact that it was based on real peoples experiences. A truly amazing story.
I couldn't imagine being in that situation. Trying to take care of two kids while the house is steadily flooding. Gives me the chills just thinking about it. I totally understand why Elizabeth kept thinking and worrying about her silly shoes. People do weird things when they're scared.
I wish he had added the family reunion because that would have been so sweet and comforting, knowing that their families were okay.
I love the fact that it was based on real peoples experiences. A truly amazing story.
March 5, 2013
This is another one of Eric Walters interesting books based on a disaster in time, in this case the flooding of Hurricane Hazel. It makes a challenge for poor Elizabeth to have David trying to pick a fight all the time and to have a house almost under water not to mention having to to take care of little Suzie. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys reading realistic fiction.
June 24, 2013
An outstanding mixture of Canadian history and thrilling suspense, safe as houses keeps you biting your nails until the very end. Well researched unbelievable, the story does not get lost in facts and figures, but pulls you along fretting for the safety of three children caught in an horrific flood short, sweet, and riveting.
April 5, 2010
This book has excitement, fright and humor in every page. Based on a true story, see what happens to a group of children stuck in a flood. But not any flood. A huge flood. One that can pull houses out from the ground and move them! Eric Walters is a great author and I loed this book!
February 10, 2012
I figured my son was old enough that we could enjoy some of Eric Walters books together. He loved it as did I. Eric Walters has an excellent way of capturing the attention of children. I've only read one other (Camp X) which also was very good but I plan to read more probably with my son!
May 17, 2012
I was really surprised. This was an amazing book.
February 7, 2013
I love this book. It cost me 10 bucks but I bought it a while ago I read it in school before and I wanted to read it again.
May 4, 2013
I'm really impressed. I couldn't put it down once I picked it up.
October 20, 2019
Safe as Houses by Eric Walters is a book about children trying to survive the horrors of hurricane Hazel. There are three children, Elizabeth, David and Suzie. They are having an average day at school and Elizabeth the babysitter, was told to walk them home and stay with them until the Mcbrides (David and Susie's parents) got home. The hurricane got progressively worse as the time went by. It was very interesting to learn how difficult these times were for people. These interesting times were intriguing to learn about because different strategies were used throughout the story to escape hurricane Hazel.
Suzie is a little girl who doesn’t understand many things. David is a grade 5 student who has lots of attitude and is very much a trouble maker. Elizabeth is in grade 6 and is the Mcbrides babysitter. She takes the responsibility of walking the children home and staying with them until their parents get home. You can imagine how stressful this situation was for these three kids, so seeing them all get together to solve problems was interesting. David helped Suzie by making lots of funny jokes, therefore relieving Suzie from the stress of the house flooding with water. They really showed how collaboration is really an important skill to have in situations like these.
It takes place in 1950, so they didn’t have the technology or materials to make it easier to survive. It was harder to survive back then, so it makes the story more intriguing. A hurricane appeared causing a rain storm, following the storm were raging winds causing them to be afraid. These children were also home alone at the time so they needed to help each other find strategies like David’s jokes. Another strategy they used was climbing to the roof, so they would be on the highest grounds as possible. As soon as the water got into the house they knew something was wrong. It was very sad to see the characters struggle to survive or endure injuries because of the damage done by the hurricane.
All the chapters ended with a cliffhanger to make you keep reading. A cliffhanger one chapter ended with was: the house had just started to flood, causing me to feel the urge to see what would happen next. If you like adventure or action novels this is definitely a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you’re reading. It’s also a very emotional plot, so if you enjoy moving story lines this book is a good read for you. The theme the author was trying to get across during this novel is that hurricane hazel was very serious. Sometimes you are given the job to engage and collaborate with a group, which can prove to be a difficult task. It might not be an easy problem to fix but you can’t give up and you need to keep fighting. I never realized how life threatening hurricanes can really be. Hurricanes do a lot of damage to your property, family, and community. It changed my point of view towards these situations. I highly recommend this novel because of all the new, interesting things it brings to mind, and how collaboration can be difficult which means you have to persevere.
Suzie is a little girl who doesn’t understand many things. David is a grade 5 student who has lots of attitude and is very much a trouble maker. Elizabeth is in grade 6 and is the Mcbrides babysitter. She takes the responsibility of walking the children home and staying with them until their parents get home. You can imagine how stressful this situation was for these three kids, so seeing them all get together to solve problems was interesting. David helped Suzie by making lots of funny jokes, therefore relieving Suzie from the stress of the house flooding with water. They really showed how collaboration is really an important skill to have in situations like these.
It takes place in 1950, so they didn’t have the technology or materials to make it easier to survive. It was harder to survive back then, so it makes the story more intriguing. A hurricane appeared causing a rain storm, following the storm were raging winds causing them to be afraid. These children were also home alone at the time so they needed to help each other find strategies like David’s jokes. Another strategy they used was climbing to the roof, so they would be on the highest grounds as possible. As soon as the water got into the house they knew something was wrong. It was very sad to see the characters struggle to survive or endure injuries because of the damage done by the hurricane.
All the chapters ended with a cliffhanger to make you keep reading. A cliffhanger one chapter ended with was: the house had just started to flood, causing me to feel the urge to see what would happen next. If you like adventure or action novels this is definitely a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you’re reading. It’s also a very emotional plot, so if you enjoy moving story lines this book is a good read for you. The theme the author was trying to get across during this novel is that hurricane hazel was very serious. Sometimes you are given the job to engage and collaborate with a group, which can prove to be a difficult task. It might not be an easy problem to fix but you can’t give up and you need to keep fighting. I never realized how life threatening hurricanes can really be. Hurricanes do a lot of damage to your property, family, and community. It changed my point of view towards these situations. I highly recommend this novel because of all the new, interesting things it brings to mind, and how collaboration can be difficult which means you have to persevere.
July 18, 2022
“Safe as Houses” by Eric Walters is a historical fiction book about effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada during October of 1954. The book is told from the perspective of thirteen-year-old Elizabeth Hardy, an 8th grade student who has a part time job as a babysitter. One stormy evening, while Elizabeth is watching two children named David and Suzie McBride, Elizabeth and the children get caught in a flash flood without the accompaniment of any adults. This exciting story takes the reader through a story of horror, disbelief, and morality. I enjoyed reading this book, and I think my sentiments would be reflected by most readers.
This book begins with Elizabeth picking up sixth grader David McBride and his sister, a second grader named Suzie from their school on an exceptionally rainy day. In the beginning chapters we learn a bit about the McBride family. We learn they have recently moved to Weston, a small city that is a thirty minutes’ drive from Toronto, from that city. While Suzie is a kind, friendly kid, we learn that David is a troublemaker who frequently expresses his disliking for Weston and how he hated moving to the small city. After arriving at the home of the McBride’s Elizabeth, David, and Suzie notice the heavy rain is growing even more. After hearing that the roads are bad and thus the McBride’s parents are not able to reach their house before dark, Elizabeth, David, and Suzie begin to worry a bit, but still just go about their day, even after the power and phone lines go out. After going to sleep, Elizabeth wakes up and suddenly realizes that the water has risen and is already flooding the house. After a brief moment of panic, the characters move up to the second floor of the McBride’s house to get away from the water. However, the water level keeps on rising and rising. Eventually, David finds a hatchet and the characters are able to break through the roof of the house to avoid the water. Then, the house’s foundation begins to shift from the force of the water rushing against it, and the characters jump off the house into the water to get to a tree. After successfully getting up said tree, the characters wait for the water to rise up and swallow them or for the tree to break, thinking that death is impending. However, two men (based on real people) then show up, bravely piloting a boat in the current. The characters are then rescued by them, and the book ends.
I think this book is best suited for those aged 8-12 who enjoy reading action novels. However, if you’re like me and like much of Eric Walter’s work, I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading this book no matter your age. Overall, I think that “Safe as Houses” is a well-written book that tells the tale of the 1954 flooding of Toronto and Weston in a very articulate, sensible way.
This book begins with Elizabeth picking up sixth grader David McBride and his sister, a second grader named Suzie from their school on an exceptionally rainy day. In the beginning chapters we learn a bit about the McBride family. We learn they have recently moved to Weston, a small city that is a thirty minutes’ drive from Toronto, from that city. While Suzie is a kind, friendly kid, we learn that David is a troublemaker who frequently expresses his disliking for Weston and how he hated moving to the small city. After arriving at the home of the McBride’s Elizabeth, David, and Suzie notice the heavy rain is growing even more. After hearing that the roads are bad and thus the McBride’s parents are not able to reach their house before dark, Elizabeth, David, and Suzie begin to worry a bit, but still just go about their day, even after the power and phone lines go out. After going to sleep, Elizabeth wakes up and suddenly realizes that the water has risen and is already flooding the house. After a brief moment of panic, the characters move up to the second floor of the McBride’s house to get away from the water. However, the water level keeps on rising and rising. Eventually, David finds a hatchet and the characters are able to break through the roof of the house to avoid the water. Then, the house’s foundation begins to shift from the force of the water rushing against it, and the characters jump off the house into the water to get to a tree. After successfully getting up said tree, the characters wait for the water to rise up and swallow them or for the tree to break, thinking that death is impending. However, two men (based on real people) then show up, bravely piloting a boat in the current. The characters are then rescued by them, and the book ends.
I think this book is best suited for those aged 8-12 who enjoy reading action novels. However, if you’re like me and like much of Eric Walter’s work, I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading this book no matter your age. Overall, I think that “Safe as Houses” is a well-written book that tells the tale of the 1954 flooding of Toronto and Weston in a very articulate, sensible way.
October 25, 2020
Eric Walters is an award winning writer of children's literature and he often writes historical fiction. This is a fictionalized version of a true event, the devastation of areas around Toronto, Ontario in 1954 when Hurricane Hazel struck. It remains the single most deadly natural disaster in Canadian history, killing 81 people.
A particularly hard hit area was Raymore Street in Weston, Ontario where the unexpected rains caused the Humber River to flood its banks going about 30 feet above the normal levels. 14 houses were washed away. 56 people were rescued and 35 died.
Safe as Houses tells the story of a 13 year old babysitter and her two charges, a 7 year old girl and an 11 year old boy. They are home alone as the waters start to rise and they must use their wits and ingenuity to survive the flood. Although these characters are fictional, the incident is based on true events. It is a gripping story that can be read by adults as well as children.
This is a middle grade reader that would be good for grades 6-10, but as noted, adults can appreciate this novel as well. A terrific story.
A particularly hard hit area was Raymore Street in Weston, Ontario where the unexpected rains caused the Humber River to flood its banks going about 30 feet above the normal levels. 14 houses were washed away. 56 people were rescued and 35 died.
Safe as Houses tells the story of a 13 year old babysitter and her two charges, a 7 year old girl and an 11 year old boy. They are home alone as the waters start to rise and they must use their wits and ingenuity to survive the flood. Although these characters are fictional, the incident is based on true events. It is a gripping story that can be read by adults as well as children.
This is a middle grade reader that would be good for grades 6-10, but as noted, adults can appreciate this novel as well. A terrific story.
April 5, 2020
The first time I read this book I was probably in Grade 7 or 8 and this book really got to me. Maybe it was because the main girl was around my age, or because the book was based around a true event that happened in Ontario, but this was one of the first books that really made me think and opened my eyes to the thought that anything can happen to anyone at anytime. Years later, on a super rainy day, I started to think about the book again and how much it affected me. So what did I do? I went online and bought myself a copy of the book. I know, I know, more likely than not, re-reading a book you enjoyed as kid doesn't yield the same emotions and sometimes results in a distaste for the book. But this book was heartwarming and enjoyable as the first time.
December 29, 2021
I lent this book out as a suggestion and then decided to reread it myself so I could do a proper review on it as I hadn't read it in around 10 years. It was just as good the second time around as it was the first. It is written so that it is interesting enough, but also appropriate for a huge age range, from adults to middle graders. It is based off true events, which makes the book even more impactful and I enjoyed that Eric included a brief description of the actual events that took place in 1954 as well as a note from Penny, whose story the book is based upon. I also, appreciated that he used Jim and Herb's real names in the book as they are true heroes who deserved the recognition. Great story!
November 5, 2019
This book is about when Hurricane Hazel made landfall in southern Ontario. Elizabeth Hardy and the two McBride kids, have to survive the category 4 hurricane and serve flooding from the massive river not far from their house; without adults and no power.
I really enjoyed this book because I like historical fiction and the amount of suspense the author had put into the writing. Overall, its an amazing book and I would totally recommend.
I really enjoyed this book because I like historical fiction and the amount of suspense the author had put into the writing. Overall, its an amazing book and I would totally recommend.
August 25, 2018
If you like action packed reads, this is the book for you!!
I love all books by Eric Walters. I learn so much about Ontario/Canadian history. Most of the characters are fictional, but the story is always nonfiction.
This book is a definite must read. It was so good I could have read it in a few hours, but life always gets in the way. :P
I love all books by Eric Walters. I learn so much about Ontario/Canadian history. Most of the characters are fictional, but the story is always nonfiction.
This book is a definite must read. It was so good I could have read it in a few hours, but life always gets in the way. :P
January 8, 2023
i read this book multiple times throughout my adolescence and it impacted me heavily. this is a very special book to me, it was sent to me by mistake from the book fair and turned out to be a forever favourite of mine. it’s a short incredible read that i still go back to occasionally. i would recommend reading this book for something different and thought provoking.
July 21, 2023
All in all, this wasn’t a terrible book. I’ve read much worse, but it was a disappointment. I feel like it was a story that maybe shouldn’t have been told or been done by a different author.
I wouldn’t recommend it, but I could see how it could intrigue some readers.
Definitely not my type of book, though. Non fiction-fantasy, not exactly my mix.
I wouldn’t recommend it, but I could see how it could intrigue some readers.
Definitely not my type of book, though. Non fiction-fantasy, not exactly my mix.
January 13, 2020
This book had an interesting story line, and I could understand why other readers would like it. In my opinion there were only two good pages in the book and the rest was slow and uneventful. Honestly, this story gave me more anxiety than enjoyment trying to read it.
February 13, 2020
Such an intense read, and an incredible account of that horrifying night. The only reason for not giving it 5 stars is the ending...compared to the rest of the dramatic storyline, I felt the ending was too rushed.
October 2, 2020
this book was fairly short but i think it was a great story, it was a bit slow for my liking and i didn’t really like how there really wasn’t anything new happening. i found this quite boring and did skip a few pages. it was suspenseful but not as interesting i thought it would be.
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