Lost In the Pacific, 1942

Written by Tod Olson

This is an inspiring story of survival, death, endurance, physical and mental torture. The date is October 21, 1942, during World War II. Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean a lone B-17 runs low on fuel. The B-17 and crew are carrying America’s greatest living war hero, Col. Eddie Rickenbacker, on a secret mission deep into the battle zone. In order to avert a crash, the pilot and co-pilot chose to land the plane on the surface of the ocean amidst 20-foot swells. They are successful and then the survival of eight men in three tiny rafts begin. They are lost and floating in the Pacific Ocean for 22 days. All they have to eat and drink is two oranges, a small bird, a few fish and a little bit of rainwater. I thought this was a riveting true survival story that student will enjoy.

Review by Debbie Woolsey, Westbrook Elementary Media Center
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-9

Lost In the Pacific, 1942
Written by Tod Olson
Scholastic Inc.
168 pages
Release Date: October 25, 2016
A review copy was provided by the publisher.

Tags:

2016 Children's Nonfiction, 2016 YA Nonfiction, Airplane Crash Survival, Military Operations, Pacific Ocean, Stranded, Survival, Survival at Sea, World War II