Abandon Ship! by Michael J. Tougias

Abandon Ship!

The True World War II Story About the Sinking of the Laconia

Michael J. Tougias, Alison O'Leary

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers · Print & ebook · October 22, 2024

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

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Who it’s for
A straightforward wartime ship story with a clear, teachable pull.
Genres
Military & Wars, Boats & Ships, African History for Kids
Published
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, October 22, 2024

About this book

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.

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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

Held at Sea

A straightforward wartime ship story with a clear, teachable pull.

Come here for

  • True-war naval history
  • Accessible, practical storytelling

Expect

  • Ship-focused details
  • A sustained, easy-entry narrative

Where it sits

Military & Wars91%
Boats & Ships84%
African History for Kids67%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Books for Boys
  • African History for Kids
  • Military & Wars
  • Africa for Kids
Show all 5 publisher categories
  • Boats & Ships
Authors
Michael J. Tougias, Alison O'Leary
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published
October 22, 2024
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Books for Boys