By Alison O’Leary

On Sale: Oct 22, 2024
Page Count: 288 pages
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
ISBN-13: 9780316401470

$9.99

$12.99 CAD

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Trade Paperback $9.99 $12.99 CAD
ebook $10.99 $13.99 CAD
Hardcover $18.99 $24.99 CAD

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An incredible World War II account of a maritime attack off the West African coast, for fans of Steven Sheinkin and Deborah Heiligman.

At the height of World War II, the RMS Laconia was torpedoed by a German submarine five hundred miles off the coast of western Africa. The attack triggered a series of unprecedented events involving allies and enemies from both sides, and left survivors adrift at sea in shark infested oceans, fighting to stay alive with little food or water.

Suspenseful and informative, and featuring historic photographs, this remarkable true account is a testament to the idea that compassion can rule over conflict—even during the cruelties of war.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

“This epic story races along, unspooling like a movie before our eyes—artfully, dramatically, revealing a little known part of WWII history. An intriguing book.” ―Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way

“The authors do an excellent job of conveying the chaos and loss of this grisly historical incident without pushing young readers too deeply into the horror. Many of those who lived through the Laconia catastrophe endured weeks at sea, parched and sunburned and starving in conditions that literally drove men mad. Archival photos add immediacy to this sensational true-life story.” ―Wall Street Journal

“An amazing account of a World War II event that is almost entirely unknown…. This story chronicles the courage, compassion, and perseverance of the few survivors of the incident, showcasing war at its worst and humanity at its best…. School librarians will want to add this to their collection.” ―Booklist

Genre:

Series:

True Survival Series

Michael J. Tougias is the author of many award-winning true rescue stories, including the New York Times bestseller The Finest Hours, A Storm Too Soon, Into the Blizzard, and Attacked at Sea, as well as the young reader’s adaptation of In Harm’s Way by Doug Stanton. A frequent lecturer, Tougias splits his time between Massachusetts and Florida.

Alison O'Leary is an award-winning journalist based in New England. She is a former correspondent for the Boston Globe and the co-author with Michael Tougias of Attacked at Sea.

Praise for Abandon Ship!
A Junior Library Guild Selection

"This epic story races along, unspooling like a movie before our eyes—artfully, dramatically, revealing a little known part of WWII history. An intriguing book."
Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way
"The authors do an excellent job of conveying the chaos and loss of this grisly historical incident without pushing young readers too deeply into the horror. Many of those who lived through the Laconia catastrophe endured weeks at sea, parched and sunburned and starving in conditions that literally drove men mad. Archival photos add immediacy to this sensational true-life story."
Wall Street Journal
"In contrast to the usual run of shipwreck tales built around the simple theme of “heroic survival against the odds,” this account depicts the 1942 torpedoing of the British liner Laconia as a realistically messy mix of confusion, desperation, altruism, cruelty, and extreme hardship.... Focusing on a handful of eyewitnesses who left records of their experiences, the authors tell their grim, brutal tale in matter-of-fact tones, then, close with notes on the subsequent lives of significant involved figures."
Booklist
"Tougias and O’Leary (Attacked at Sea) recount the 1942 sinking of the Laconia in this pulse-pounding work.... Through viscerally told accountings, including stories of passengers spending several days awaiting rescue aboard lifeboats, the authors deliver a fascinating tale of human perseverance and morality that explores the 'most unusual actions in all of World War II,' as stated by the creators in an introduction."
Publishers Weekly
"The unbiased narrative follows the personal stories of the real men, women, and children moved to German ships or abandoned in lifeboats on the open ocean.... Tension escalates as the narrative is pared down to just two lifeboats and their occupants’ harrowing struggle to remain hopeful. Ideal for WWII history fans and readers who have graduated from Lauren Tarshis’s 'I Survived' series."
School Library Journal
"An amazing account of a World War II event that is almost entirely unknown…. This story chronicles the courage, compassion, and perseverance of the few survivors of the incident, showcasing war at its worst and humanity at its best…. School librarians will want to add this to their collection."

School Library Connection
"This powerful account of human resilience and behavior during crises will inspire contemplation of the impact of war....A gripping wartime story that probes moral uncertainties."
Kirkus Reviews

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Michael J. Tougias

About the Author

Michael J. Tougias is the author and coauthor of twenty-three books, including Rescue of the Bounty (Scribner, 2014), A Storm too Soon (Scribner, 2013), Fatal Forecast (Scribner, 2007), and Ten Hours Until Dawn (St Martin’s Press, 2005). Tougias has written for the New York Times and several other prestigious magazines and newspapers.

Learn more about this author