Into the Blizzard (Young Readers Edition): Heroism at Sea During the Great Blizzard of 1978

by Michael J. Tougias

Overview

A gripping true story of heroism and survival at sea during the catastrophic Blizzard of 1978, adapted for young readers by New York Times bestselling author Michael J. Tougias.

In the midst of a raging blizzard, the tanker Global Hope floundered off the Massachusetts coast. The Coast Guard immediately dispatched a patrol boat, but soon found themselves in as much peril as the stranded tanker. With both vessels paralyzed in the unrelenting storm, Captain Frank Quirk and his crew of four made the daring decision to take their 49-foot steel boat, the Can Do, into the heart of the blizzard.

Perfect for fans of the I Survived series, this riveting middle-grade adaptation of Tougias' adult nonfiction book, Ten Hours Until Dawn, chronicles the harrowing journey of the Can Do and its crew as they battled towering waves and fierce winds in a desperate rescue mission.

Tougias, author of The Finest Hours, brings this incredible tale of courage and determination to life for young readers in his True Rescue Series. These real-life stories capture the heroism of people on life-saving missions during maritime disasters.

Discover more thrilling true rescue stories:

The Finest Hours (Young Readers Edition)

A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition)

Attacked at Sea (Young Readers Edition)

In Harm's Way (Young Readers Edition)

Rescue on the Bounty (Young Readers Edition)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627792844
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	12/10/2019
Series:	True Rescue Series
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Lexile:	1120L (what's this?)
File size:	68 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	9 - 14 Years

About the Author

Michael J. Tougias is the author and coauthor of more than a dozen books, including two bestselling true-adventure and survival books, Ten Hours Until Dawn: A True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do and Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival at Sea.

Editorial Reviews

"Reads like a thriller, suspenseful and ultimately tragic, effectively capturing the desperate situations of the three Coast Guard boats that were dispatched to aid a supposedly sinking tanker. . . Riveting."—Kirkus Reviews

"Readers who love disaster tales—and want to feel like they're experiencing them firsthand—will find this a compelling, well-sourced read."—Booklist

"Quotes from eyewitnesses involved with the rescue attempts, friends, and transcripts of radio transmissions tell the story of what was ultimately a deadly rescue mission. The bravery of Frank Quirk, the captain of the Can Do, along with that of crew member Charlie Bucko, takes center stage.'—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2019-09-15
During a severe blizzard in 1978, Gloucester, Massachusetts, mariner Frank Quirk II took his 49-foot pilot boat out into the teeth of the storm in an attempt to aid Coast Guard vessels in peril.

Just as had been the case with the three Coast Guard boats, Quirk lost his radar almost as soon as the Can Do passed the shelter of the breakwater. On the open ocean, facing waves that topped 30 feet, wind gusts slamming his boat at nearly 100 miles per hour, and driving thick, swirling snow, Quirk had few clues to his location, and jagged ledges, invisible in the maelstrom, loomed perilously close. With failing radios, he had occasional contact with those on shore, providing an intermittent narrative of impending disaster. Before the night ended, the Can Do and her crew of five were lost at sea. This young readers' adaptation of Ten Hours Until Dawn (2005) reads like a thriller, suspenseful and ultimately tragic, effectively capturing the desperate situations of the three Coast Guard boats that were dispatched to aid a supposedly sinking tanker (it wasn't) and that of the spirited crew of the Can Do. The tale concludes with an epilogue that briefly chronicles the lives since 1978 of some of those involved, even delivering one final gut punch. Characters depicted in the archival black-and-white photos are all white.

Riveting. (Nonfiction. 11-16)

Kirkus Reviews