The Highest Tide (2005)

Meet Miles O'Malley. A solitary, precocious teenager whose height refuses to stretch beyond 4 feet 9 inches, Miles spends much of his time immersed in books, quoting beloved nature writer Rachel Carson, or wading silently through Olympia's Puget Sound, observing its many marine inhabitants. All that changes the summer before his 14th birthday, when Miles discovers a giant squid and other rarely seen sea creatures in the tidal flats. Suddenly, the easily overlooked boy with few friends is thrust into the spotlight, quickly hailed by his community as a local hero, perhaps even a prophet. A small but engaging debut that works both as a poignant coming-of-age story and an enchanting primer on the life aquatic, The Highest Tide is as crisp and clean as a cool dip into the water, and just about as refreshing.