September 17

January 1, 2014
Among the many tragedies of World War II, the largely forgotten sinking of a ship that was ferrying 90 young British children to the safety of Canada must be counted. The City of Benares left port on Sept. 13, 1940, with the children, their volunteer caretakers and some paying passengers, part of a convoy that was supposed to keep them safe. Three days out, the British destroyer left them in the belief that they had reached safe waters. On Sept. 17, the Benares was torpedoed in a storm and sank rapidly. Seventy-seven of the children died, along with six of their 10 escorts. Lewis picks up the tale as children join the evacuation process, focusing on Ken and Bess, whose experiences shine a light on those of the whole "seavacuee" group, and Sonia, whose family has booked paying passage on the ship. Each child's voice is distinct and believable. Their heroic experiences after the nighttime sinking--Bess surviving by tying herself to an overturned lifeboat, Sonia on a frigid raft, and Ken, whose overfilled lifeboat sails eight days until rescue--are all vividly, harrowingly realized. Riveting and heartbreaking alike, especially as readers count down the days to the tragedy they know is coming. (Historical fiction. 11 & up)

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February 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-Based on the harrowing true story of a ship carrying 90 British children to Canada during World War II, September 17 centers on three young passengers on the S.S. City of Benares. The Children Overseas Reception Board, or CORB, was the organization responsible for evacuating children from wartime Britain and sending them to join families in safer lands. The Benares never reached Canada. On September 17, 1940, the ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat. Only 13 of the 90 children on board survived. Lewis's compelling novel follows the journey of three fictional survivors, each based on true accounts of the incident. Fifteen-year-old Bess, 13-year-old Ken, and 10-year-old Sonia leave Liverpool full of hope and begin their journey on a refitted luxury ocean liner. Moving fluidly among the three stories, Lewis follows the children, along with escorts and the crew, as they encounter the horrific events and the days immediately following the attack. Readers will find themselves becoming emotionally invested in each child's tale. Ken's story is especially compelling, as he was one of 42 survivors who drifted on a lifeboat for eight days. The novel is well researched, and the historical notes and interview with the author help to fill out this little-known chapter of WW II history. The story of adventure and bravery under dire circumstances will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction and tales of courage.-Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2014
Grades 6-9 How to keep children out of harm's way during wartime? The English answer during WWII was to relocate them. Some 100,000, for example, were sent to Wales and safety. The Children's Overseas Reception Board (CORB) was founded to resettle English children abroad. Some 90 were en route to Canada, for example, when their ship, The City of Benares, was torpedoed by a German U-boat on September 17, 1940, and sank. Only 13 survived; this is the fictionalized story of three of them: Bess Walder, 14; Ken Sparks, 13; and Sonia Bech, 11, who was not a CORB child but was, instead, traveling with her mother and siblings. The tragic story is told from the shifting points of view of the three young people. Arguably the most riveting account is Ken's: his lifeboat was overlooked by the rescuing British ship and floated for days as supplies were quickly depleted. Exceedingly well researched, September 17 is a compulsively readable, compelling story of survival in the face of overwhelming adversity. An informative interview with the author is appended.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)