Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific (Scholastic Focus)

About this book

A vivid portrait of the deadly battles that raged in the Pacific during WWII and the remarkable courage of the sailors who fought them

Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific tells the incredible story of America’s "little known war within a war" — US submarine warfare during World War II.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US entered World War II in December 1941 with only 44 Naval submarines — many of them dating from the 1920s. With the Pacific battleship fleet decimated after Pearl Harbor, it was up to the feisty and heroic sailors aboard the US submarines to stop the Japanese invasion across the Pacific.

Using first-person accounts, archival materials, official Naval documents, and photographs, award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson brings the voices and exploits of these brave men to life.

Reviews

Praise for Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific:

* "Hopkinson crafts a gripping narrative... Fascinating World War II history for history buffs and browsers alike." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Readers wait anxiously alongside crew members amid silence and dangerous heat and oxygen levels as the submariners narrowly escape enemy detection or brace for depth charge explosions that rattle bones, fray nerves, and signal possible death....With a fascinating blend of submarine mechanics and tales of courage, readers will dive in deep." -- Booklist, starred review

* "It's an appealing, engrossing package for readers fascinated by heroism and military strategy." -- The Horn Book, starred review

"The real appeal, of course, is danger and heroism, and in drawing liberally from first-person accounts by surviving veterans, Hopkinson often emulates the tone of Greatest Generation memoir.... And kudos to Hopkinson, whose eagle eye even located the contingent of women nurses evacuated by sub from the Philippines." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A riveting narrative nonfiction selection for middle school collections." -- School Library Journal

"The diverse individual stories... make the history come alive." -- School Library Connection

Praise for Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark:

"With numerous pictures and illustrations accompanying the text, this is a fascinating look at a little-known corner of WWII." -- Publishers Weekly

"[A] spirited, inspiring, and extremely well-researched book... ideal for both classroom use and independent reading." -- Booklist

Praise for Titanic: Voices from the Disaster:

A Sibert Honor Book
A YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist
An ALA Notable Children's Book
An IRA Teacher's Choice
A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year
A Horn Book Fanfare Book
A Cybils Award Finalist

"An affecting portrait of human ambition, folly and almost unbearable nobility in the face of death." -- The Wall Street Journal

"A meticulous recounting of the disaster... Hopkinson's reporting is so rich with information that it will be equally fascinating to young readers and adults alike."
-- Los Angeles Times

*"Hopkinson knows precisely what's she doing in her coverage of the Titanic disaster. . . . [A] fine book." -- The Horn Book, starred review

*"Fascinating... A thorough and absorbing re-creation of the ill-fated voyage."
-- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Riveting." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

*"An absorbing and richly satisfying read." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Up Before Daybreak:
*"Rarely have the links between northern industry, southern agriculture, slavery, war, child labor, and poverty been so skillfully distilled for this audience." -- Booklist, starred review

*"Superb nonfiction writing." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Excellent." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Shutting Out the Sky:
*"Nonfiction at its best." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*"[A] fascinating read." --School Library Journal, starred review