The higest tide is a coming of age story, a young boy grows up very, very fast. This starts because of his late night adventures in the tidal flats of puget sound. Miles goes from a sort and a little angry red head kid to a marine bio super star in about 1 month, although extermly knowledgeable about ocean life he doesn't see the invasive species and thinks its werid stuff coming out of the sea. (another aspcet of boyhood, using the first thing that comes to your head, and its usaually not right). With his best or clostet thing to a best friend, a gressy, seattle grunge punk, his old babysitter who a total grunge stoner (he also has a crush on here, big suprise), a marine biooligist whos the doc brown type (of back to the future), and the old fortune teller peal, a good friend and just about the only point of sanity in his insaine world. He also has to deal with a mariner fanatic/obessed about his height dad, and his somewhat distant mother as well. Filled with the emotions of love, loss, anger, fright, confussion, worry, and confusion. I highly recomend this book (i may post some lines from this book). Oh and he also has to deal with fame and media attention and a cult which takes an interest in him.