Iron Thunder

Starred review from July 16, 2007
This fascinating adventure taken from U.S. history begins in Brooklyn in 1862, when Tom Carroll, 13, is hired at the Iron Works in Greenpoint for a secret project, derisively known around the borough as “Ericsson’s Folly.” John Ericsson, a Swedish inventor, is trying to build an ironclad ship that can battle the Merrimac
, a Confederate ship being outfitted with metal plates in Virginia. Working to support his widowed mother and ailing sister, Tom becomes Ericsson’s aide-de-camp. His insider status makes him a target of Secessionist spies, who offer gold coins in exchange for details about the ship; when Tom refuses, the bribes escalate to threats. Additionally, there’s intense pressure to get the ship finished—Yankee spies report the Merrimac
is almost done—and concerns persist about whether it will actually float. When the Monitor
leaves port, Tom’s aboard, safe from rebel spies, but nervous about heading into the war that has already claimed his father. The spectacular clash with the Merrimac
caps this intense and action-packed account of a battle that changed the course of naval warfare. Illustrated with period engravings, this is gripping historical fiction from a keenly imagined perspective. An endnote detailing Avi’s research at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Va., makes this a book that could launch a thousand field trips. Ages 8-12.

September 1, 2007
Gr 4-8-Early in 1862, 13-year-old Tom Carroll must go to work when his father is killed in a Maryland battle. He finds a job at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where he is put to work on "Ericsson's Folly," the ironclad that will become the "Monitor". He works closely with Captain Ericsson and becomes fascinated with this odd "raft." The floating battery is scoffed at by many, but the "Copperheads," Northerners who sympathize with the Southern cause, are distinctly interested. Tom is approached by Confederate spies but cleverly escapes them with the help of his friends. To stay clear of these dangerous men, he moves onboard the "Monitor" and lives there until its completion. Tom is an eyewitness to history as the ship travels to join the Union blockade fleet and enters into its fateful battle with the "Merrimac". He takes pride in the vessel, and his part in her construction is evident in his firsthand telling of the story. Factual information and historical terms are woven smoothly into the narrative. Period photographs, engravings, and newspaper headlines are strategically placed throughout the text to further bring history to life. A glossary provides added clarity, and an author's note explains that although Tom Carroll really existed, the boy in this story is a compilation of several people on the ship and the author's imagination. This exciting, fast-paced historical adventure will add a bit of drama to Civil War units. Even reluctant readers will appreciate it."Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2007
Decked out with the appurtenances of nonfictionmaps, a resource list (leaning toward upper-level titles), and a generous array of contemporary prints for illustrationsAvis historical novel views the construction of the Monitor and the ensuing epochal battle with its Confederate rival through the eyes of an actual but fictionalized crew member. Narrating in a clipped style that speeds the tale along nicely, 13-year-old Tom describes meetings with the Monitors inventor, John Ericsson, and other historical figures; run-ins with Copperhead spies; the dangerous sea voyage from New York to the Union blockade; the exciting climactic fight; and the brief, ill-fated later careers of both ironclads. More compelling (and better illustrated) than Maureen Stack Sappeys similar Dreams of Ships, Dreams of Julia (1998), this opener for the I Witness series wont draw readers who prefer their nonfiction straight up, but it will please fans of My America titles and the like.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)