Race Against Death The Greatest POW ..., Deborah Hopkinson
Race Against Death The Greatest POW ..., Deborah Hopkinson
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

Race Against Death: The Greatest POW Rescue of World War II (Scholastic Focus)

Author: Deborah Hopkinson

Narrator: Ramón de Ocampo

Unabridged: 6 hr 27 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/18/2023


Synopsis

A thrilling account of the most daring American P.O.W. rescue mission of World War II.Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, America entered World War II, and a new theater of battle opened up in the Pacific. But US troops, along with thousands of Filipino soldiers who fought alongside them, were overtaken in the Philippines by a fiercely determined Japanese navy, and many Americans and Filipino fighters were killed or captured.These American and Filipino prisoners of war were forced to endure the most horrific conditions on the deadly trek known as the Bataan Death March. Then, the American servicemen who were held captive by the Japanese military in Cabanatuan Camp and others in the Philippines, faced beatings, starvation, and tropical diseases, and lived constantly under the threat of death.Unable to forget their comrades' fate and concerned that these POWs would be brutally murdered as the tides of war shifted in the Pacific, the US Army Rangers undertook one of the most daring and dangerous rescue missions of all time. Aided by the "Angels of the Underground," the Sixth Ranger Battalion and courageous Filipino guerrilla soldiers set out on an uncertain and treacherous assignment. Often called the Great Raid, this remarkable story remains largely forgotten.Sibert Honor author Deborah Hopkinson presents an extraordinary and unflinching look at the heroic servicemen and women who courageously weathered the worst of circumstances and conditions in service to their country, as well as those who answered the call to save their fellow soldiers.

About Deborah Hopkinson

Deborah Hopkinson is the author of Small Places, Close to Home and Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen, among more than fifty acclaimed works for young readers including picture books, middle-grade fiction, and nonfiction that help bring history and research alive. Deborah lives near Portland, Oregon with her family and a menagerie of pets. You can visit her online at www.deborahhopkinson.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ethan on December 31, 2022

ARC provided by publisher Race Against Death is about the greatest POW rescue of World War II. It roughly covers the war in the Pacific, and specifically the Bataan Death March and the POW camps. The main protagonist of the story is James Henry "Hank" Cowan, a young American mechanic who worked at C......more

Goodreads review by Bonnie on June 24, 2023

I believe the best way to spark curiosity in young people is to read nonfiction. Deborah Hopkinson is a master at writing nonfiction. And here she recounts the details of the Bataan Death March and the incredible rescue known as the The Great Raid, a story that remains largely forgotten. This book is......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on February 05, 2023

The research that goes into Deborah Hopkinson’s books amazes me. So many primary and secondary sources used and then she puts it together in a book that is clearly non-fiction but with enough narrative elements that it often reads like an action story. “Race Against Death” piqued my interest because......more

Goodreads review by Jamie on May 02, 2023

My father in law has a friend who survived the Bataan Death March, and while I knew that was a big deal, it wasn’t until reading this wonderfully informative book that I understood how amazing it is that this friend is still alive. This book taught me about the relationship between the Philippines a......more

Goodreads review by Amy on July 23, 2023

Extraordinary! That’s all I can say the for the most recent offering from Deborah Hopkinson. Race Against Death is a detailed non-fiction account of the greatest POW rescue of WWII. Deborah Hopkinson's storytelling abilities and attention to historical detail make it difficult to put this one down.......more


Quotes

Praise for We Had to Be Brave: Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport:* "Historical context, personal stories, and letters are seamlessly integrated in this history of frightened refugee children in a new land and their brave parents' making 'the heart-wrenching decision' to send their children away with strangers to a foreign country. Well-crafted, accessible, and essential." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review"[A] moving tribute to the organizers of the Kindertransport and to the courage of the children involved. Generously illustrated with black-and-white photographs, the book is extremely well researched and a valuable contribution to Holocaust literature." -- BooklistPraise for D-Day: The WWII Invasion that Changed History:* "Hopkinson has compiled a comprehensive and absorbing overview... this insightful title, chock-full of primary sources, is a strong purchase." -- School Library Journal, starred review"Hopkinson is particularly adept at directing attention to the stories behind the heroic stories." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"How does an author sequentially chronicle multiple, rapidly developing, and simultaneous events and maintain not just coherence, but suspense? Hopkinson employs her signature kaleidoscopic style effectively here: synthesizing complex events into a compelling narrative arc, and sampling myriad voices to add texture and color to the story, while never losing sight of the bigger picture." -- The Horn Book"Such major figures as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley get plenty of attention, but more is given to the experiences of the soldiers who waded ashore under fire or parachuted behind enemy lines. Hopkinson weaves their personal accounts with those of observations by Ernie Pyle and others to bring the invasion vividly to life... An attractively packaged, engrossing history that will appeal to readers fascinated with military strategy." -- Kirkus Reviews"With thoroughness and clarity, this title brings D-Day into focus by breaking it down into components and focusing on human voices and perspectives... provides a wealth of information clearly presented alongside many black and white photos, resulting in an engaging read even for those who may not be interested in a book about military history. The complexity of the historical task undertaken, the challenges of the terrain, and the courage required of those involved is conveyed by the author without hyperbole and by allowing the participants to tell their own stories. Highly Recommended." -- School Library ConnectionPraise for Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific:* "Hopkinson crafts a gripping narrative... Fascinating World War II history for history buffs and browsers alike." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Readers wait anxiously alongside crew members amid silence and dangerous heat and oxygen levels as the submariners narrowly escape enemy detection or brace for depth charge explosions that rattle bones, fray nerves, and signal possible death... With a fascinating blend of submarine mechanics and tales of courage, readers will dive in deep." -- Booklist, starred review* "It's an appealing, engrossing package for readers fascinated by heroism and military strategy." -- The Horn Book, starred review"The real appeal, of course, is danger and heroism, and in drawing liberally from first-person accounts by surviving veterans, Hopkinson often emulates the tone of Greatest Generation memoir... And kudos to Hopkinson, whose eagle eye even located the contingent of women nurses evacuated by sub from the Philippines." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"A riveting narrative nonfiction selection for middle school collections." -- School Library Journal"The diverse individual stories... make the history come alive." -- School Library ConnectionPraise for Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark:A Sydney Taylor Notable BookAn NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended BookA Bank Street Center for Children's Literature Best Children's Book of the Year selectionA Cybils Award Finalist"[A] spirited, inspiring, and extremely well-researched book... ideal for both classroom use and independent reading." -- Booklist"With numerous pictures and illustrations accompanying the text, this is a fascinating look at a little-known corner of WWII." -- Publishers WeeklyPraise for Titanic: Voices from the Disaster:A Sibert Honor BookA YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction FinalistAn ALA Notable Children's BookAn IRA Teacher's ChoiceA Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the YearA Horn Book Fanfare BookA Cybils Award Finalist"An affecting portrait of human ambition, folly and almost unbearable nobility in the face of death." -- The Wall Street Journal"A meticulous recounting of the disaster... Hopkinson's reporting is so rich with information that it will be equally fascinating to young readers and adults alike." -- Los Angeles Times* "Hopkinson knows precisely what's she doing in her coverage of the Titanic disaster... [A] fine book." -- The Horn Book, starred review* "Fascinating... A thorough and absorbing re-creation of the ill-fated voyage." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Riveting." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review* "An absorbing and richly satisfying read." -- School Library Journal, starred reviewPraise for Up Before Daybreak:* "Rarely have the links between northern industry, southern agriculture, slavery, war, child labor, and poverty been so skillfully distilled for this audience." -- Booklist, starred review* "Superb nonfiction writing." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Excellent." -- School Library Journal, starred reviewPraise for Shutting Out the Sky:A Jane Addams Peace Award Honor BookAn Orbis Pictus Honor BookAn ALA Notable BookA Sydney Taylor Notable Book* "Nonfiction at its best." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "[A] fascinating read." -- School Library Journal, starred reviewPraise for We Must Not Forget: Holocaust Stories of Survival and Resistance:* "Vital and unendurably timely." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * "Inspiring and moving." -- Booklist, starred review