Storm Warriors

I totally disagree with the two reviews below! This was a wonderful book detailing an amazing part of history. The characters were well developed and the storyline was gripping. I felt connected to all of the characters in this book and I loved the fact that the story was historically accurate. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end and I will definitly look for other books written by this author. Her writing is refreshing.

This is an interesting book because it is about an unfamiliar subject and time in history. Readers will learn a lot about the "surfmen" who rescue crews of crashed ships as they follow the story of Nathan, a boy who wants to someday be a part of it all. I purchased the book because it is nominated for the Rebecca Caudill Award this year, but I have yet to read it with or to any students. Due to some images and language I would recommend it for students older than 5th grade. As a read-aloud, it could be thoroughly discussed, which would be necessary for understanding for middle school children.

In the world of 1895, Nathan, a young Negro boy, dreams of becoming one of the black surfmen on Pea Island, saving the lives of sailors and passengers shipwrecked off the coast of North Carolina. When his father tells him the odds are against him, Nathan believes the problem is racism. However, in his first summer on the island, he learns there are other hindrances, and perhaps other dreams.This book, inspired by real life characters, tells a part of American history many of us have never seen or heard. The men of the life-saving stations, both black and white, were brave and true to their professions. It's a good read for young and old.The only thing that did not quite ring true was the language of the characters. Most spoke near perfect English and given their times and their backgrounds, there should have been at least a hint of a lack of education, perhaps even of their southernness.Elisa Carbone has created a good read, a story for anyone interested in the dangerous North Carolina coast, American history in the late 19th century, or in the dreams of the young.

Twelve-year-old Nathan Williams lives on Pea Island, off the shore of North Carolina, with his fisherman father and grandfather. They share the island with the "storm warriors," a heroic crew of the U.S. Lifesaving Service. Nathan watches the only African-American crew in the Service with admiration, even getting the chance to help in some of the rescues. He dreams of becoming one them, even though Nathan's father is expecting him to follow in his fisherman footsteps. Being told only the sons of the current crew will ever become "storm warriors," Nathan makes it his mission to learn anything any member of the "storm warriors" is willing to teach him, to buck the odds and become one of them. His dreams and hopes are washed away when he is thrown in the middle of a very dangerous rescue and discovers he doesn't have the courage to risk his life like the real members of the crew. New hopes for a future in lifesaving are quickly realized by Nathan and his future life becomes known to the reader.This story, based on real people and real events, is a fascinating tale of historical fiction and high adventure, and will be a favorite with reluctant readers and sea adventurers.