Dive!

World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific

What is this book about?

Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific tells the incredible story of America’s little known “war within a war” — US submarine warfare during World War II.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US entered World War II in December 1941 with only 44 Naval submarines — many of them dating from the 1920s. With the Pacific battleship fleet decimated after Pearl Harbor, it was up to the feisty and heroic sailors aboard the US submarines to stop the Japanese invasion across the Pacific.

Using first-person accounts, archival materials, official Naval documents, and photographs, author Deborah Hopkinson brings the voices and exploits of these brave men to life.

Reviews

“Hopkinson crafts a gripping narrative … Fascinating World War II history for history buffs and browsers alike.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

“Readers wait anxiously alongside crew members amid silence and dangerous heat and oxygen levels as the submariners narrowly escape enemy detection or brace for depth charge explosions that rattle bones, fray nerves, and signal possible death … With a fascinating blend of submarine mechanics and tales of courage, readers will dive in deep.” (Booklist, starred review)

“It’s an appealing, engrossing package for readers fascinated by heroism and military strategy.” (The Horn Book, starred review)

“The real appeal, of course, is danger and heroism, and in drawing liberally from first-person accounts by surviving veterans, Hopkinson often emulates the tone of Greatest Generation memoir … And kudos to Hopkinson, whose eagle eye even located the contingent of women nurses evacuated by sub from the Philippines.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

“A riveting narrative nonfiction selection for middle school collections.” (School Library Journal)

“The diverse individual stories … make the history come alive.” (School Library Connection)