Bibliography
Heiligman, Deborah. (2019). TORPEDOED: THE TRUE STORY OF THE WORLD WAR II SINKING OF “THE CHILDREN’S SHIP”. MacMillan Audio.
Plot Summary
Deborah Heiligman's book TORPEDOED recounts the terrifying actual account of a German U-boat torpedoing the SS City of Benares on September 17, 1940. 100 kids were on board the ship, the most of them traveling without their parents as they fled World War II and headed for Canada. Parents were sending their kids to a safe spot until the conflict was ended as the bombing had started to attack their city. The kids were brought to Canada as part of a program called Children Overseas Reception Board (CORB). Heiligman gathered information from the survivors' testimonies and narrates the tale of the numerous defenseless children, adults, and crew members who traveled on that tragic voyage.
Critical Analysis
I listened to Deborah Heiligman's TORPEDOED in its entirety on MacMillan Audio. Marissa Collins, whose British accent was ideal for this narrative, narrated it. She was able to capture the voices of the characters with what I believe to be an accurate accent. Instead than trying to lower her voice for the male characters or sound young for the voices of the youngsters, Collins employed a variety of accents to portray the characters. Although there is music at the introduction, it gradually fades away, leaving only the storyteller audible. The listener may accurately follow the tragic tale of the SS City of Benares, which had over 200 passengers, 100 of them were children, and was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat during World War II thanks to the research Heiligman conducted for this moving historical event. From letters and other materials that she read, she includes authentic quotes from some of the survivors. Although it is a very sad tale, it demonstrates the power of the human spirit to persevere in the face of adversity. Both parents and kids put in so many valiant efforts. I found the account of the commotion on the boat after they were hit to be fascinating. Sadly, the kids were in the boat as it crashed into the bottom. Even though the boat had been hit, the paying passengers were unaware that they were in danger. The narrative goes on to detail the errors made and the valiant efforts of numerous crew members and passengers. It gives an awful account of what transpired when they started boarding the lifeboats and the horrible situations that so many people found themselves in. Heiligman describes the frigid water, the storm that made everything even more challenging, the floating debris all around the boats, and regrettably, the several dead bodies that were also floating by. The survivors' reported experiences in the lifeboats are then used to finish the story. Though my heart was hurting for everyone involved, I couldn't help but consider how the tragedy had an impact on the youngest survivors. The captain of the German U-boat's response was another aspect of the incident that drew my attention. The entire U-boat was initially in a celebratory mood since they were proud of how much tonnage they had sunk that night and had captured two ships. The reader does learn later in the book that the U-boat captain sincerely regretted attacking the ship because he was unaware that it was filled with children. The rescue of the lifeboats is both a joyful celebration and a tragic tragedy.
Review Excerpts
Booklist, starred review -"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."
Kirkus Reviews, starred review - "An exceptionally well-researched and impressively crafted tale of desperation, tragedy, and survival."
Horn Book, starred review - "Nonfiction maestro Heiligman here tells a riveting wartime story. . . . Heiligman builds and maintains suspense while remaining scrupulously faithful to the historical record."
Connections
*Topics that could be researched or discussed:
World War II U-boat attacks by the Germans
Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB) program
Review interviews of the survivors
Review Excerpts
"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"
*Awards Won
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award finalist
Golden Kite Award winner
Hornbook Fanfare selection
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year
Book Suggestion
Hood, Susan. (2018). Lifeboat 12. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers: New York. ISBN: 978-1481468831
Other Books by Deborah Heiligman
Heiligman, Deborah. (2017). Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers. Henry Holt & Company: New York. ISBN: 978-0805093391.
Heiligman, Deborah. (2009). Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith. Henry Holt & Company: New York. ISBN: 978-0805087215.
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