Submarines, Secrets and a Daring Rescue

Reviews / Votes

Ambrose and John Clark are back in their second Revolutionary War adventure. Fresh from delivering a
top-secret message to George Washington in Patriots, Redcoats, and Spies (2015), the 14-year-old twins
have now been recruited to man the American Turtle, the world's first submersible used in combat, in
order to attach explosives to the hull of a British ship. Things are complicated by the fact that Loyalist
spies are reporting their every move, and their older brother, Berty, is captured and scheduled to be hanged
as a traitor. The story moves at a brisk pace with plenty of musketry and bloodshed, and the technical
information about the Turtle's creation is interesting rather than dull; readers hearing of the submarine for
the first time will be intrigued. Discussion questions, a list of the historical characters who appear in the
series, a glossary, and reproductions of historical letters support the story and make this a novel that could
easily be incorporated into a classroom or homeschool lesson.
--- Kara Dean * Booklist *