Based on true events this short verse novel captures the horror faced by Ken and other young English evacuees when the ship they are travelling on is torpedoed by a German U-boat during World War II. The author did a good job capturing the voice of 13-year-old Ken. He was believable and likeable and showed maturity and kindness when things looked bleak for those on Lifeboat 12.

This novel was certainly a survival story with a difference and should appeal to young readers looking for an action-packed read. Personally, I liked all the facts, photos and information that can be found at the end of the book. Although there were some sad moments in this book, overall, "Lifeboat 12" was a story of hope and courage. ( )

Independent Reading Level: 4-5
Awards: Junior Library Guild Selection (2018), Charlotte Huck Award (2019), Golden Kite Awards: Young Reader and Middle-Grade Fiction (2019)

A wonderful story of well-researched historical fiction! I think the time period, the disaster/survival elements and the smart young protagonist all make this high interest for older elementary readers. It was an uplifting tale told with great skill and spirit. ( )

Well this will be my last review of 2021 and unfortunately it's a tricky one.

The real story of Lifeboat 12 is actually a gripping tale of survival against all odds. I am sorry to say it was not well captured in this middle-school verse novel. The story felt drawn out even though is was written in verse. There were some glimmers of the type of writing I would expect in a verse novel but in my opinion, it read more like prose with the enter button hit after every few words. The were some points where the author dabbled in the white spaces and kids will enjoy these, but overall it was a miss for me.

The photos and notes at the end were extremely interesting. ( )

Ken Sparks bravely boards the HUGE luxury ship SS City of Benares without his parents along with hundreds of other children being taken away from England during the Blitz in World War II. They are travelling to Canada where they will live for the remainder of the war. The kids onboard the Benares quickly bond, becoming family to one another during this scary adventure. They have just been told they are safely far enough from German U-boats to relax for the rest of the journey when they are suddenly awoken in the middle of the night to disaster. Lifeboat 12 is based very closely on true events. I had chills sometimes reading what Ken and his friends were going through, I will admit that I cried more than once! ( )