Torpedoed

In 1940, Germany was bombing England every night, and many civilians were being killed. A group of people made the decision to send children overseas to safety for the duration of the war. One of the ships sent across the Atlantic was called City of Benares, and one hundred children were on board. A German U-boat captain, not realizing there were children on board, decided to torpedo the ship. Many people were killed at once. It was a stormy night and many of the lifeboats were precariously launched, some completely tipping over and spilling all the people into the cold waters. Some survived. These are their stories.

Torpedoed was a mesmerizing read. From the start, it isn't clear who will live and who will die. Author Deborah Heiligman carefully and thoroughly researches this story and takes us right into the lives of these people as they fight for survival.