Miracle: The True Story of the Wreck of the Sea Venture
Grade 5-7 - This is an engaging account of the 17th-century British sailing shipSea Venture, flagship of nine vessels bound for the colony of Jamestown. A powerful hurricane forced it to break from the fleet; battle the humongous waves, wind, and drenching rain; and eventually run aground on the shores of the Bermuda islands. All 150 passengers and crew spent the next 10 months creating a temporary home on this "untouched" land, having found an abundance of raw materials to erect homes, hunt, cook, store food, and eventually build two smaller ships to continue on to Virginia. Karwoski offers a wealth of historical information through a well-researched narrative detailing highlights of the key players: Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, and Captain Christopher Newport. Additional significant material is provided in well-placed boxes, explaining certain concepts to give readers a better understanding of the three leaders' lives, the available technology of the day that allowed the settlers to create a sheltered and abundant life, and the geographic and natural circumstances that affected their livelihood. The book concludes with a description of present-day Bermuda and the changes in its natural environment, some good and some unfortunate, as a result of overpopulation. Blue/gray-toned illustrations include drawings and photos of recovered artifacts. An extensive bibliography concludes this attractive, well-designed title.- Rita Soltan, Oakland University, Rochester, MICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.