Abandon Ship! The True World War II Story About the Sinking of the Laconia (True Survival #1)

Tougias and O’Leary (Attacked at Sea) recount the 1942 sinking of the Laconia in this pulse-pounding work. Divided into five rapidly paced chronological parts described in cinematic detail, the creators outline the ship’s origins, its destruction, and the fates of the shipwrecked passengers. Chapter one, “The Voyage,” briefly explains how the British ship had been a luxury ocean liner that transported people from Liverpool to New York City, until it was commandeered as a war vessel at the start of WWII, during which it was integral in ferrying civilians and troops on and off battlefields. In 1942, the ship set sail for England loaded with passengers fleeing war-torn Cairo. A few weeks into this voyage, the creators note in a chapter titled “Torpedoes in the Night,” the Laconia was attacked by a German U-boat. After learning that the ship had women, children, and Italian POWs on board, the U-boat commander embarked on an unprecedented rescue attempt. 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. Ages 9–14. (Feb.)