Shipwreck Search: Discovery of the H. L. Hunley by Sally M. Walker, Elaine Verstraete (Illustrator)

Judy Crowder - Children's Literature

Children love stories about discovering lost treasure. They should find this account about the discovery of a genuine historical treasure—a Civil War submarine—irresistible. Part of the "On My Own Science" series, this beautifully illustrated book tells about the team of men who searched for and found the sub in the dark, deep waters near Charleston in 2000, decades after its sinking in 1864. Finding the historic submarine was only the first step. Well-written text explains how they were able to successfully raise the Hunley, how they kept it from deteriorating further, and how the real "treasure" hunting—for artifacts and human remains inside—progressed. Researchers were able to verify an old story about the captain's having a lucky coin that he had always carried since a bullet struck it instead of him at the battle of Shiloh, when that very coin was found. They also uncovered a mystery: a metal name tag belonging to a Union—enemy—soldier. The inside of the sub was preserved enough for archeologists to find out how the sub was operated. Best of all, special artists were able to reconstruct models of the skulls to show how the crew members looked. This is an exciting book, especially for young readers who may not read well enough for many books about shipwrecks. The book includes an afterward about ongoing research about the Hunley, a timeline, glossary, and two bibliographies about the historical sub, the Civil War, and shipwreck science in general. 2006, Millbrook Press, Ages 6 to 10.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Sousa discusses venomous animals that use their poisons to defend themselves and capture prey. The short chapters have broad subject titles and focus on only a few creatures as examples. "Venom in the Sea" is devoted to the Australian box jellyfish and the stingray. "Tiny Terrors" tells about funnel-web tarantulas, black widow spiders, and scorpions. There is no mention of the specific chemicals contained in these venoms. Shipwreck tells about the 1995 underwater expedition off the coast of Charleston, SC, to find the wreck of the H. L. Hunley, a southern Civil War submarine. Walker describes how the ship was located, raised in 2000, and taken to a lab for study by archaeologists. Realistic paintings support the texts well. With its focus on just one subject, Shipwreck is better organized than Poison! Each of these books might be somewhat useful for reports, but, generally, they make interesting reading for newly emergent readers or for small-group sharing. High-interest content makes these titles perfect for reading practice.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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