100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Auckland Bookstore open Saturday & Sunday ๐ŸŽ‰ Don't forget Father's Day is next weekend ๐Ÿ“…

Attacked at Sea

A True World War II Story of a Family's Fight for Survival
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
On May 19, 1942, the freighter Heredia was attacked by a German U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico during WWII. Among the crew and passengers was the Downs family, who found themselves fighting for survival after the ship exploded. Facing threats such as sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration, each family member had to navigate their own perilous journey in this gripping true story of endurance and courage off the American coast.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$1999

International Supplier

This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.

AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for children and young readers interested in historical narratives, survival stories, and World War II history. Fans of titles like Refugee and Unbroken will find this book particularly compelling.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A riveting nonfiction WWII account of survival at sea - Book 4 in the True Rescue series from Michael J. Tougias, the author of the New York Times bestseller The Finest Hours.

A riveting middle grade nonfiction WWII account of survival at sea.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

On May 19, 1942, during WWII, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. The submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia. Most onboard were merchant seamen, but there were also civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina and their two children. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, chaos ensuedโ€”and each family member had to find their own path to survival.

This inspiring historical narrative tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.

For fans of Refugee and Unbroken.

Series: True Rescue Series

View all
  • Rescue of the Bounty (Young Readers Edition)
    Paperback
    $2000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Into the Blizzard (Young Readers Edition)
    In the midst of the Blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals in Salem Sound off the Massachusetts coast. When the Coast Guard heard the Mayday calls, they immediately dispatched a patrol rescue boat. But within an hour, the Coast Guard rescue boat was in as much trouble as the tanker-both paralyzed in unrelenting seas. Enter...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Attacked at Sea
    On May 19, 1942, during WWII, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. The submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia. Most onboard were merchant seamen, but there were also civilians, including the Downs family: Ray and Ina and their two children. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Junior Library Guild Selection. School Library Journal praises it as an exciting and highly readable survival story suited for young history enthusiasts and fans of the "I Survived" series. Kirkus Reviews highlights its well-researched narrative with evocative letters and diaries portraying a lesser-known WWII event. The Bulletin commends the book's honest depiction of the harrowing experience and its lasting impact on the family.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781250853219

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 November 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: St Martin's Press

Illustration: photo insert

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 193g

Pages: 224

About the Author

Michael J. Tougias is the author of many true rescue stories, including Into the Blizzard, A Storm Too Soon, and The Finest Hours. A frequent lecturer on his work, Tougias lives in Plymouth, Massachusetts. michaeltougias.com Alison O'Leary is an award-winning journalist based in New England. She is a former correspondent for the Boston Globe and the author of So Close to Home and Inns and Adventures. alisonoleary.com

Also by Michael J. Tougias

View all
  • Rescue of the Bounty (Young Readers Edition)
    Paperback
    $2000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Into the Blizzard (Young Readers Edition)
    In the midst of the Blizzard of 1978, the tanker Global Hope floundered on the shoals in Salem Sound off the Massachusetts coast. When the Coast Guard heard the Mayday calls, they immediately dispatched a patrol rescue boat. But within an hour, the Coast Guard rescue boat was in as much trouble as the tanker-both paralyzed in unrelenting seas. Enter...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • In Deep Water
    Pre-order
    In Deep Water
    October, 8, 2022. Three friends are fishing for red snapper when their boat, tied to an oil rig, begins taking on water and sinks 15 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. Suddenly, the three men find themselves in a struggle for their lives. Their vessel succumbs to the building seas so quickly that the fishermen are unable to send...
    Hardback
    $6900
    Pre-order
    Out 20 Oct 2026

More from Children's Books

View all
  • Buy to Win
    New Release
    Giant Heart
    Meet Jonah Lomu, one of the greatest All Blacks of all time. His speed and strength on the rugby field made him famous around the world, and his fun and generous personality made him beloved, but all the while he faced a big battle with his health. โ€œ[David Hillโ€™s] stories are wonderful, full of action and are always teaching the...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Cass and the Beast
    A sweeping and original picture book about a girl who chooses not to be afraid, a modern-day heroine in a story we feel in our bones like an ancient folktale. When a fearful beast arrives in the township, Cass finds her courage and is rewarded with a wild and magical journey. The creature takes her on a thundering ride through...
    Hardback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    Backorder
    Ships late September
  • New Release
    The Case of the Viral Video: Violet and the Velvets 3
    Violet and the Velvets can hardly believe they've come so far in the BandChamps competition with only hard work, a smidge of talent, and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. This time, they get to record their new song in a proper recording studio and star in their very own music video! But Violet is letting her perfectionism...
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise forย Dreamslinger: โ€œA mind-blowingly original fantasy adventureโ€”Graci Kim has done it again!โ€โ€”Rick Riordan,ย New York Timesย #1...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Detective Beans and the Map of Mystery
    Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Mei Mei the Bunny Mei Mei the Bunny
    New Release
    Mei Mei the Bunny
    Mei Mei the Bunny is Laufey's picture book debut about a bunny learning to believe in herself through music. Experience a heartwarming tale of self-belief in this enchanting picture book by GRAMMY Award-winning musician Laufey. Meet Mei Mei, a little bunny with a big dreamโ€”to spread joy through her music! As her debut recital at the H'Opera House draws near,...
    By Laufey
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Hunted: Wolf Girl 15
    Just when Wolf Girl is finally reunited with her father, he is torn away from her once more, and Gwen vows to stop at nothing to track him down. But danger is closing in: a giant snow leopard and a mysterious hooded figure are hot on their trail. As Gwen and the pack race through deep caverns to snowy peaks,...
    By Anh Do
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    What If You Could
    From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed โ€” herself included....
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Lonasei and the Mystery of Origin Grove
    Eleven-year-old Lonasei is lonelyย โ€” she wishes her older sister Eva Grace wasn't so mean, and that her mum Aria didn't have to work so much. But when Aria inherits her childhood home, Lonasei discovers she can enter her late Aunt Malia's paintings and experience the memories within. Through them, she discovers that her mother had another sister, Agnes, who went...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dawn Raid: The Apology
    This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Saveaโ€™s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2099
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Big Bang Bread
    New Release
    Big Bang Bread
    In this time-travel storybook and cookbook with a cosmic twist, take a journey through time and space to discover the secrets of baking! Did you know that bread is made from stardust? Board the rocket and blast off on an adventure through time and space to discover the secrets of a home-baked loaf! Big Bang Bread is a kids' time-travel...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • B is for Bird
    From award-winning artist, Lily Emo, comes a beautiful celebration of birds. Paired with a fun rhyming story, gorgeous illustrations, and fold-out pages, this book is set to be a favourite for everyone and the perfect gift. Make your way through the alphabet with this stunning book featuring a cast of familiar birds. From albatross to fantails, gannets to quail, and...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.