Dangerous Water

A poignant and thrilling novel about the 1953 North Sea flood

Maarten is 12 years old when a storm hits on Saturday 31 January 1953. Strong winds are not unusual, but this time it pounds against his house like a huge, invisible giant. In the middle of the night the dykes break, and he flees to the attic with his parents and sister. Outside, all sorts of things float by: planks, chairs and even a dead man… The waiting drives Maarten crazy: he wants to do something. He gets the opportunity to do so, but only then does he realise how serious the disaster is. Where have all the houses gone? Why is that woman clinging to a lamppost? What is in the suitcase that he fishes out of the water? And more importantly, can he save his family in time?

Praise:

‘In Dangerous Water, the author describes the night of the disaster in a realistic manner without shying away from horrors.’ – Toin Duijx

‘Dangerous Water is an easy-to-read book, in which you experience the disaster and what comes next entirely through Martin’s eyes. He sees nasty things. Yet the adventure does not end badly for him.’ – Kidsweek

Marte Jongbloed