Maybe the earth is trying to tell us something

Miles O'Mally is a precocious 13-year old with a passion for Puget Sound, Rachel Carson, and marine life. Like a young Doc Ricketts, he wanders the mudflats near his home in Olympia, collecting sea creatures to sell to aquariums and private collectors. One night he finds a dying giant squid, and afterwards his life is never the same.

Miles is the protagonist of Jim Lynch's novel, The Highest Tide, which is this year's selection for NEWPORT READS! He has a crush on Angie, the older girl next door, and is close friends with Florence, an elderly neighbor who is the local psychic. His best friend, Phelps is obsessed with sex, and his parents are always fighting. The novel is both a coming-of-age story and a cautionary tale about the fragility of our planet.

The Newport Library Foundation has planned a series of events around the book. The kick-off, which will introduce the book and include a marine life scavenger hunt, takes place on April 8 at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Attendance will be limited to 100 attendees, so free tickets will be available at the library starting on March 22.

Jim Lynch, the author, will give a talk at the Oregon Coast Community College on April 15, and the final program will be a panel of marine scientists on April 22 at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. All programs will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Read the book, join the discussions, and we hope to see you at one or more of the events!