Whitney Williams: Heaven help us

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Tuesday, April 4th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Up next, our second book review for Easter week, this one for families.

The novel is set during World War II. It shows how dangerous this world can be–even for kids. But it also provides a picture of rescue that can help Christian readers savor our ultimate Rescuer, Who is Christ.

Here’s World commentator Whitney Williams.

AUDIOBOOK: “Parents can’t go,” says my dad, “but you’ll have escorts–a whole staff of doctors, nurses, teachers, priests who are volunteering. Yes, son, you’re one of the lucky ones.”

WHITNEY WILLIAMS, COMMENTATOR: That’s a clip from Lifeboat 12, a gripping historical fiction for ages 9 and up by Susan Hood.

When I read it recently with my son, it took us back, more than 80 years ago to September, 1940. 13-year-old Ken Sparks and 89 other British children bid farewell to their families and set sail on the SS City of Benares from Liverpool, England. Their destination: Safety. A.K.A. Canada, far from German air attacks and the rage of World War II.

But these 90 children never made it to their overseas host homes. Instead, four days into their ocean journey, a German U-Boat torpedoed the luxury steam vessel on which they were sailing.

AUDIOBOOK: “Bells sound the alarm–emergency! Emergency!

Sparks and the other children ran to their muster stations just as they’d practiced. But as the ship sank, many of the lifeboats flipped and tipped down at extreme angles, dumping their passengers into the dark, frigid Atlantic.

AUDIOBOOK: “SOS! SOS! Twenty-foot waves cresting, crashing, smashing. Rain turning to sleet. It hurts to look.”

Within 31 minutes, the SS City of Benares sank to the bottom of the ocean; the attack ultimately claimed the lives of more than 250 people, 81 of them children.

Though tears often filled my eyes as I read aloud to my 9-year-old, the text isn’t overly graphic. And the author’s unique poetic writing style with short, to-the-point sentences, makes the book a quick and easy read.

Sparks was lost at sea for eight grueling days in lifeboat number 12. Suffering and shivering alongside him with little to eat and even less to drink were five other children in nothing but their wet pajamas and 40 adults–all of them presumed dead. Until, after eight days adrift, a pilot scouting for U-Boats happened to spot them.

AUDIOBOOK: Please, God! Hear our prayer! Please God, let that pilot see us. The pilot zooms down, swoops around, and WAVES! Oh, heaven, he’s seen us! “HE’S COMING!” I shout.

Lifeboat 12 is a great rescue story for families. It’s a Teacher’s Pick on Amazon.com, and it won numerous awards in 2019, including being a Junior Library Guild Selection. The text does deal with scenes of war and death, which may not be appropriate for younger children. There are also a few vain exclamations of the Lord’s name and some brief mentions of the Muslim faith, though prayers to the One True God are far more abundant.

It’s not a Christian book, by any means, but as my son and I took in the historical photos at the end, I couldn’t help but think about all of mankind’s sinking situation, the lifeboat we have in Jesus, and the joy that awaits us when, after suffering for a little while, we see our heavenly father face-to-face.

AUDIOBOOK: “Then I hear my name. ‘Ken!’ It’s my dad, MY DAD! I hobble as fast as I can into his outstretched arms. He hugs me hard and try as I might, I can’t stop the blasted tears.”

I’m Whitney Williams.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.