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Lifeboat 12
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
29 posts | 22 read | 6 to read
In the tradition of The War That Saved My Life and Stella By Starlight, this poignant novel in verse based on true events tells the story of a boys harrowing experience on a lifeboat after surviving a torpedo attack during World War II. With Nazis bombing London every night, its time for thirteen-year-old Ken to escape. He suspects his stepmother is glad to see him go, but his dad says hes one of the lucky onesone of ninety boys and girls to ship out aboard the SS City of Benares to safety in Canada. Life aboard the luxury ship is grandnine-course meals, new friends, and a life far from the bombs, rations, and his stepmums glare. And after five days at sea, the ships officers announce that theyre out of danger. Theyre wrong. Late that night, an explosion hurls Ken from his bunk. Theyve been hit. Torpedoed! The Benares is sinking fast. Terrified, Ken scrambles aboard Lifeboat 12 with five other boys. Will they get away? Will they survive? Award-winning author Susan Hood brings this little-known World War II story to life in a riveting novel of courage, hope, and compassion. Based on true events and real people, Lifeboat 12 is about believing in one another, knowing that only by banding together will we have any chance to survive.
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sblbooks
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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#MiddleGradeMonday Share a middle grade read about boat or ocean life. @Karisimo
I read these two for booked in time, last year. One nonfiction and one fiction, about the sinking of the children's ship in World War II.

Karisimo Sad, but perfectly fits the prompt! Thanks for sharing! 3mo
29 likes1 comment
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Eggs
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Pickpick

Compelling historical novel of WWII - Germany has begun intense bombing of London in 1940. Parents are scurrying to get their 5 to 15 year olds to safety. Ken Sparks is bound for relatives in Canada on the SS City of Benares, but it is sunk by torpedoes. What follows is a harrowing adventure: thirst, trench foot, hunger, dehydration…

#Pantone2023 @Clwojick
#Bookspin June 2023 @TheAromaofBooks

Clwojick Love those blues! 1y
Eggs @Clwojick 💙🩵💙 1y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1y
59 likes4 comments
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Katies_always_booked
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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“I went back to get my coat,” I say,
“That‘s how I ended up on Lifeboat 13.”

There were no survivors from Lifeboat 8… True story [historical fic] that I had no idea about. Great story!

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Katies_always_booked
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Pickpick

Love a book in verse! One day read for me!

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SaunteringVaguelyDownwards
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Pickpick

Read for Children's Lit. Compelling middle-grade novel based on real events. Due to the London Blitz, Ken's parents send him to Canada. Unfortunately, the ship transporting him is hit by a torpedo, and Ken spends 13 days in a lifeboat before being rescued. I appreciated Hood's meticulous research, especially to learn the names of the Lascar crew members.

#pop21: a genre hybrid - don't think I've read any nonfiction novels in verse before!

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Mesica25
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
Pickpick

An awesome upper elementary/ middle school read.

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Daisey
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Pickpick

This is the second book in a row I‘ve read about children leaving (or attempting to leave) Europe in the wake of WWII. This historical fiction is based on the stories of survivors of a ship carrying English children that was sunk by a German U-Boat. It is written in verse and clearly conveys the experiences of one of those boys while on a lifeboat in the Atlantic. At the end there‘s also a section of photos.

#MiddleGrade #NovelInVerse #TRS2019

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Daisey
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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As an adult, I love finding literary references like this one to The Sword in the Stone (or The Once and Future King King), but it also always makes me wonder how many I have missed and am still missing when I read.

tpixie As a child I loved 5y
Daisey @tpixie I just listened to the whole series this summer. I really enjoyed the beginning but not the end at all. 5y
tpixie @Daisey ♥️ too bad it fizzled out (edited) 5y
28 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Kaden_Pavelka06
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
Mehso-so

#3 Lifeboat 12 is about a boy named Ken who‘s parents sent him away too Canada with a bunch of other kids from 5-15 years old, because of the nazi bombings. On his way today to the boat with the others, he has to stay hidden so the bombers can‘t find them and also on his way to the ship he meets some new friends and recognizes some old friends but will he make it to Canada or will their ship get bombed while on the way to Canada.

Kaden_Pavelka06 The genre is Historical fiction 5y
MissYaremcio Thank you for the review Kaden! You forgot the recommendation and the picture though! 5y
7 likes2 comments
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MaddyLaing_11
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Mehso-so

It‘s time for thirteen year old Ken to escape London and the battle of WWII. He boards a ship sailing for Canada and thinks all is well until one night the ship is torpedoed by the Nazi‘s. Ken had been assigned to lifeboat eight but when he goes looking for it, it‘s gone. Ken has to get onto lifeboat twelve with five other boys. Will they survive or has the worst yet to come. Continues in comments.

MaddyLaing_11 If you like books about war, survival, and have suspense in them this is the book for you. The genre of this book is historical fiction, it‘s deep in the past and is not quite a true story. (edited) 5y
MissYaremcio This looks like such a good book! Thanks for the review Madison! 5y
4 likes2 comments
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CaleGoldhawk
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Pickpick

Not very far in yet, but so far, 13 year old Ken Sparks was lucky enough to have his name picked from a lottery. This would get him a ticket away from the bombings in London, and get to safety in Canada. He would board a ship, along with other British children. Yet he‘s not sure if this is just a way for his step-mom to get rid of him, therefor he has mixed emotions about going.

Baylianlancaster Nice description 5y
6 likes1 comment
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Gretajahn
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Pickpick

This book was a super cool read. It was exciting and in the end, pretty sad😞I don‘t know about you people, but I really novels in verse if you can‘t tell, and I‘m looking for more so if you have a suggestion, please tell me!!!

Cfischbuch Glad you enjoyed it. 5y
MrsBabki I love them too!!! 5y
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Gretajahn
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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In the home stretch!!!!!

MrsBabki Love this! 5y
5 likes1 comment
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Gretajahn
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Just reading with my smarties😂😍

MrsBabki Perfect combination! 5y
Timothy.purkis Omg I ♥️ candy 5y
6 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Gretajahn
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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Just got into this book, sounds pretty good and is pretty good so far! And it‘s also another novel in. Verse😂

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Peddler410
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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And now .... onto this one! I love April for a lot of reasons....novels-in-verse is right at the top!

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Mnkidane
Lifeboat 12 | Susan Hood
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A riveting survival story of an (unknown to me) event from WW2. I appreciated the facts and photos at the end. Written in verse, it‘s a quick read. Perfect for middle-grade readers.