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Salt to the Sea
CCBC Review:
The sinking of the Nazi passenger ship Wilhelm Gustloff, killing an estimated 9,000 evacuees escaping the advancing Russian army in the last days of WWII, inspired this riveting, haunting novel. Joanna and Emilia are refugees; Florian is on the run for reasons he won’t reveal. All three teens are desperate to reach the Polish port where German ships are waiting. Each is struggling with a secret and all are damaged by what they’ve experienced, but they form a makeshift family with other travelers. Teenage Alfred is a Nazi sailor at the port who exhibits sociopathic behavior that personifies facism. The fates of the other three intertwine with Alfred after their harrowing journey to the port culminates in discovery there are thousands more refugees than the waiting ships can possibly carry. Short chapters move back and forth among the four points of view, making for a fast-paced story. Oppression under Stalin, Nazi greed, the brutality of war, and the intriguing mystery of the legendary Amber Room are part of a tense novel in which the fate of the ship will not be changed by fiction, even as some fictional characters do survive. An author’s note gives more information about the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy and other factual elements of the narrative. ©2016 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 13 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
20th Century
Disasters
Historical Fiction
Oppression
Perspective/Point of View
Refugees
Survival
Trauma
World History
World War II
Publisher:
Philomel
Publish Year: 2016
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9780399160301
CCBC Location: Fiction, Sepetys