School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-8-In this broad and insightful look at a less commonly examined aspect of the Pacific War, the narrative comes alive through looks at individual sailors and commanders and their particular contributions to larger events. An account of the USS Wahoo's stealth entry into Wewak Harbor on New Guinea, using a map found in a high school geography textbook, and its successful sinking of a Japanese destroyer is as gripping as any thriller. Hopkinson makes a point of noting the presence of women (nurses evacuated from Corregidor) and African Americans, who were limited in their formal duties but pushed by the realities of war into key roles in submarines. Readers are always aware of the intensity of submarine warfare and the massive human toll. One chapter closes with a poignant unsent letter from a wife to her husband lost in battle. Sidebars complement the narrative with, for example, a colorful description of an officer's effort to have an ice-cream maker installed in his sub, a description of how subs dive, and recommendations for visits to websites and naval museums. Specialized terminology is occasionally distracting, but Hopkinson does an ample job defining terms in context. The book concludes with an expansive "After Section," which includes source citations for individual quotations, a lengthy bibliography, an annotated list of online resources, and lists of facts and figures. Many contemporaneous photographs depict the actual sailors and vessels discussed in the text. VERDICT A riveting narrative nonfiction selection for middle school collections.-Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.