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The Story of the Samson
The Story of the Samson
Author: Kathleen Benner Duble
Sam and his grandpa relive the Samson's adventures on the high seas. Kathleen Benner Duble uses actual events to weave a tale about the Samson and its many voyages, from the witnessing of the Titanic's demise to the rescue of Shakleton's men to an appearance at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. A mix of sepia tones and lush watercolors place reade...  more »
ISBN-13: 9781580891837
ISBN-10: 1580891837
Publication Date: 6/15/2008
Pages: 48
Edition: 1
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Rating:
  • Currently 4.5/5 Stars.
 1

4.5 stars, based on 1 rating
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review
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copiousreader avatar reviewed The Story of the Samson on
Sam's grandpa once sailed with the SAMSON, a Norwegian seal-trapping ship that braved the treacherous, ice-riddled waters of the Northern Atlantic; survived the unyielding tough seas of the Antarctic, and risked the Caribbean trade routes during World War 2. Sam knows his grandpa's stories about the SAMSON by heart, and together they relive the ship's triumphs and tragedies.

From the TITANIC'S demise to the rescue of Shackleton's men to the exploration of Antarctica, author, Kathleen Benner Duble, uses actual events to weave a tale about the SAMSON and its many voyages.

The final page has a photo of a real sailing ship called SAMSON from 1930
twoseagreeneyes avatar reviewed The Story of the Samson on
A young boy climbs upon his grandfather's bed and snuggles in next to him. He eagerly awaits grandpa telling him the story that he has heard many times before, but can never get enough of. It is the story of grandpa's house, a house that is made from pieces of a ship that grandpa worked on during his sailing days. The ship is named âSamson.â

Samson is a one hundred forty-nine foot schooner whose rich historical past spans over sixty-five years. Its exploits include encounters with the Titanic, the polar explorer Admiral Byrd, and the Chicago World's Fair. Each escapade encapsulates an emotion for grandpa that does not go undetected by his young grandson.

In true historical fiction style, this book is filled with loads of information for the reader. The author, Kathleen Benner Duble, weaves the tale back and forth from Samson's seal-trapping history to the present retelling of the story from grandpa to child. She captures the excitement and wonderment of the young boy who so lovingly admires his aging grandfather.

The illustrations are wonderful and span every page. They use soft watercolor with subtle hues to capture the colors of the salty sea, arctic ice floes and the sunny tropical shores Samson and his crew endured.

I found this book to be a good âread aloudâ to my son. The timeline provided in the back of the book was of great help in keeping the order of events clear and was a useful tool for sparking discussion. There are also resources provided in the back of the book, including websites, where more information on the Samson can be researched.

The Story of Samson is all-in-all a charming story with well-supported facts.

You can find this review and many others at http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/the-story-of-the-samson