This survival tale highlights one of the worst sea disasters of World War II: the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in 1945. It's recounted by Patrick, a 12-year-old caring for his younger brother, mute ever since the two were evacuated without their parents from Manila in 1941. Desperate to find their parents, the siblings have stowed away on the Indy with the help of Benny, a tough-talking Marine with a heart of gold. When Benny shares his opinions and philosophies, his experiences and prejudices are on the surface. He has choice words for both Japanese troops and the U.S. Navy. But in the end, he is never too harsh a judge and instills in Patrick the Marine code: never leave a man behind. Benny will live and die fulfilling this promise to his charges. Descriptions of the explosions onboard are graphic; men are maimed and killed. Benny gets the brothers off the ship, where new trials begin. They float at sea for days on a soggy pallet; heatstroke, dehydration, and delirium set in; sharks circle. The carnage is gruesome. Given Benny's essential kindness, it's unfortunate that at one point, while prodding the boys, he tells them they are swimming like "pansies." Extensive backmatter rounds out the incredible history. Readers ready for a strong dose of survival and war action will find this well-researched episode entirely gripping. (Historical fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 4-7-Spradlin's latest foray into the fictional past revolves around two brothers who board the U.S.S. Indianapolis having already led more dramatic lives than many readers will have ever known. Searching for parents that may or may not be alive, Patrick, the elder of the two brothers, must fight to keep the pair alive with help from the wisdom and guidance of Benny, a tough Marine with a gentle side. The events turn from bad to worse to worst as sharks and Marines fight for survival in the Pacific Ocean. Spradlin's story is paced extremely well. The characters will hook readers, the plot will grip them, and the factual pieces will create a desire to learn more about the true events behind this fictionalized tale. The shark behavior is, at times, a bit too extreme to be plausible. Still, the story is enjoyable and reveals a tender theme about the power of the human spirit. Patrick finds strength and courage from unusual sources and manages the impossible in order to save his brother and himself. VERDICT A marvelous fit in a social studies class, this novel would work well as a companion text to a World War II unit and will engage and connect students to the past.-Chad Lane, Easton Elementary, Wye Mills, MD © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Using the 1945 sinking of the USS Indianapolis, the worst disaster at sea in U.S. Navy history, as a starting point, Spradlin spins a gut-wrenching survival tale featuring two stowaways and sharks lots and lots of sharks. Determined to find their parents, who have been trapped in the Philippines by the Japanese invasion, 12-year-old Patrick and his deeply traumatized little brother, Teddy, sneak on board the heavy cruiser with help from Benny, a friendly marine. After the ship is torpedoed, they find themselves, along with about 900 crew members, in waters that are soon aboil with triangular fins. Aboard an improvised raft surrounded by floating corpses and listening to the shrieks of wounded sailors, Patrick fends off attack after attack for more than three agonizing days while also struggling to cope with thirst, hunger, shock, and Teddy's near constant bouts of wild panic. Rescue arrives at the last moment. The author closes with a strange revelation about Benny, a tearful family reunion, and an afterword describing both the disaster and the trumped-up court martial that followed it. Grim and vivid.--Peters, John Copyright 2015 Booklist