Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

by Deborah Heiligman

Overview

A riveting true story of World War II, Torpedoed chronicles the attack and sinking of the passenger ship SS City of Benares, which evacuated children from England. Don't miss this YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist from critically acclaimed author Deborah Heiligman.

Amid the constant rain of German bombs and the escalating violence of World War II, British parents by the thousands chose to send their children out of the country: the wealthy, independently; the poor, through a government relocation program called CORB. In September 1940, passenger liner SS City of Benares set sail for Canada with one hundred children on board.

When the war ships escorting the Benares departed, a German submarine torpedoed what became known as the Children's Ship. Out of tragedy, ordinary people became heroes. This is their story.

More Awards and Praise for Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship":
Golden Kite Award Winner
A Hornbook Fanfare Selection
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

★ "A must-read for all."—School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Exceptionally well-researched and impressively crafted." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Nonfiction maestro Heiligman here tells a riveting wartime story." —Horn Book, starred review

★ "Extensively documented accounts tell of harrowing escapes, incredible heroism, tragic accidents, eventual rescues, and the gruesome aftermath." —Booklist, starred review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250187550
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	10/08/2019
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Lexile:	840L (what's this?)
File size:	111 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Deborah Heiligman has written many books for children, including Printz Honor, YALSA Nonfiction Award Winner, and Boston Globe - Horn Book Award Winner Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers, National Book Award Finalist Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith, and The Boy Who Loved Math. She lives with her family in New York City.
Deborah Heiligman​ has written many books for children and young​ adults, including Torpedoed: The True Story of the​ World War II Sinking of “The Children’s Ship,” a​ YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award finalist and Golden Kite winner; Vincent and Theo:​ The Van Gogh Brothers, a Michael L. Printz​ Honor winner, YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction​ Award winner, Boston Globe–Horn Book​ Award winner, and Golden Kite winner; Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith,​ a National Book Award finalist, Michael L.​ Printz Honor winner, and YALSA Excellence​ in Nonfiction Award winner​; and Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs. America (A Love Story). She lives with her​ husband and dog in New York City.​ ​

Editorial Reviews

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award finalist

Golden Kite Award winner

Hornbook Fanfare selection

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year

"An exceptionally well-researched and impressively crafted tale of desperation, tragedy, and survival." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

"Extensively documented accounts tell of harrowing escapes, incredible heroism, tragic accidents, eventual rescues, and the gruesome aftermath . . . the real-time unfolding of events is compelling, and young audiences will relate to these stories about students their own age." —Booklist, starred review, on Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

"Heiligman tells a story of bravery, courage, and despair . . . a must-read for all, and a beautiful memorial for those who perished in this tragic event."—School Library Journal, starred review, on Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

"Nonfiction maestro Heiligman here tells a riveting wartime story. . . . Heiligman builds and maintains suspense while remaining scrupulously faithful to the historical record." —Horn Book, starred review, on Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

"[A] harrowing yet inspiring look at a little-covered historical event" —Publishers Weekly on Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

"[R]iveting accounts of terror, death, heroism, and sacrifice, and foreshadowings of either doom or rescue give the pace a breathless urgency . . . a fascinating look at the intersections of “fate, human, error, accident, and bad luck” that so often bring about tragedy." —The Bulletin on Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

"Heiligman explores a harrowing moment in history with clear, insightful prose." —Shelf Awareness on Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"

From the Publisher

Narrator Marisa Calin chronicles the lives of children, those who survived and those who perished, in the tragic sinking of the SS CITY OF BENARES, or “The Children’s Ship.” The ship was intended to save British children from the German air raids of WWII by transporting them to Canada, but it was torpedoed by a German U-boat while making the journey. As the surviving children cling to the wet and slippery rescue boats in the cold Atlantic, Calin perfectly portrays the fear and determination of each passenger. Listeners will be saddened by the history of this disastrous shipwreck but glad to know that the stories of the passengers and crew will be remembered. M.D. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2019 - AudioFile

★ 2019-08-12
Heiligman recounts the little-known World War II maritime disaster of the sinking of the passenger ship City of Benares, which was evacuating children from England to Canada.

In 1940, with German air raids reducing many of England's major cities to smoldering ruins and a threatened invasion looming, thousands of British parents chose to send their children to safety in Canada through a program called the Children's Overseas Reception Board. On Sept. 13, 1940, the passenger liner departed Liverpool in a convoy bound for Canadian ports. Onboard were 90 CORB children, their chaperones, crew, and paying passengers. Their Royal Navy escort left it on Sept. 17, and that night, unaware of the refugee children aboard, the commander of German submarine U-48 ordered three torpedoes launched at the Benares, the third hitting its target with devastating effect. Heiligman makes the story especially compelling by recounting the backstories and experiences of several of the children and their chaperones. These characters are presumably white; Heiligman takes care to note that the overwhelming majority of the crew were South Asian Muslims whose stories were not collected after the disaster. It's a customarily masterfully paced and beautifully designed book, with reproductions of archival photographs and documents complemented by original pencil art by Lee that captures the action aboard the Benares and afterward. Expansive backmatter includes interviews conducted with Heiligman's sources, several by her.

An exceptionally well-researched and impressively crafted tale of desperation, tragedy, and survival. (bibliography, notes, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews