September 17

This book does a fantastic job of combining fiction with historical facts. I have read several books on this subject, and this one doesn't disappoint. Great book for any age.

I read this nonfiction book to potentially use in my sixth grade reading class. There's a great story here and Amanda Lewis tells it honestly and with copious detail, however the story moves too slowly for the first 100+ pages. The story is at its best once we learn that the ship, The City of Benares, transporting 90 British children to Canada for their own safety during WWII, has been torpedoed by a German U-Boat, and the children wind up in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Their struggle to survive on few resources 600 miles off the coast of Ireland, and the frantic search by the British military to find them is compelling. The story finishes strong and overall is a decent read, but just a bit slow for a middle school whole-class read.

KID'S REVIEW (8 year old) My first impression of September 17 by Amanda West Lewis was that it would be very much like the Titanic. It did remind me of the Titanic, but it also reminded me of Amazing True Adventures because they all had sunken ships with survivors. It made me feel very happy and adventurous because all of the main characters survived. It's very exciting and kids who like adventures would love this book.

Fantastic book, having lived through the war as a young child in London, and almost being sent on a train to the country I can feel for those children that survived. I am thankful my Mum changed her mind about sending me away. This book is a must read.