This is the story of the children in a Connecticut town that was hit by a great flood. Some of them saw their homes carried away by the raging water; some were separated from their families; most knew what it was like to be refugees in their own town.

Sally Graham saw the river rising right up to her bedroom window; Tommy Dillon was rescued from the porch roof by helicopter. The children were taken to the schoolhouse, where they had to wait patiently for their parents, for food and clothes, even for a place to play. But their grim experiences did not keep the children from having fun. They went on playing together, they had some thrilling adventures, and their courage and acceptance of hardship helped the town to survive.

Lois Lenski's home is in the heart of an area that has experienced floods. She has seen flood damage and has talked to boys and girls like those in this book.

Her story and its distinctive illustrations will convey vividly to young readers the spirit of those frightening days. Children who never saw a flood will learn how homes and possessions can be swept away, but they will also learn how a great disaster can bring out the generosity and kindliness in grown-ups and children.

From the dust jacket