Peril at Pier Nine

Disaster Strikes! #3

by Penny Draper

Fourteen-year-old Jack is a daring, impulsive boy, who lives to sail, have adventures and get into trouble. When the Noronic docks at Ward Island, he and his friends gather to admire it. But you need an invitation from one of the passengers to board the ship. So when Jack meets Henry, a lonely 13-year-old passenger from Boston, he talks Henry into inviting Jack's group on a tour of the ship. In the course of the tour, Jack and Henry become friends. But that night, when Jack wakes up and looks out at Pier Nine and the Noronic, he sees, to his horror, that the ship is on fire and sinking. He races down to the harbour and takes out the island's only motorboat, hoping to help passengers. People are stuck on the upper deck because the only way off the ship, three decks below, is already engulfed in flames. Jack spots Henry and calls to him just as Henry's dad helps him jump into the water. Jack is able to rescue Henry and many others, although Henry's dad is lost. Jack is a hero to many, but not everyone agrees.

Peril at Pier Nine is based on a true story. On September 14, 1949, the cruise ship Noronic, caught fire with 524 passengers and 171 crew members on board. Between 118 and 139 people died. The cause of the fire was never determined.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Penny Draper is the award-winning author of numerous books for kids and teens. When she's not writing about disasters or dancers or gigantic lake monsters, she can often be found zooming around on her motorbike or standing on her head in yoga class. Before Penny started writing books, she told stories orally, working for many years as a professional storyteller. She shared stories at schools, libraries, castles, festivals, on radio and television and once from inside a bear's belly. But that's another story. Penny currently calls Victoria, British Columbia home. For more information, please visit www.pennydraper.ca.

Reviews

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

A band of friends sails in and out of trouble around the Toronto Islands where their families have cottages. Their rambunctious chief, 14-year-old Jack Gordon, comes to realize that his reputation as a pesky troublemaker might threaten his plans to one day captain a laker. But on the September 1949 night the Noronic catches fire in the Toronto Harbour, Jack’s bravery becomes his most shining characteristic. Penny Draper chose the Noronic fire, in which more than 100 people died, as the basis for her third disaster-themed YA novel. In contrast to the tragedy, Draper conveys a bright depiction of island life throughout most of the story. Her writing avoids syrupy nostalgia, embraces a youth centred point of view and engages the senses. Readers can almost smell homemade dinners cooking and hear popular ukulele music. As they turn the pages they feel the thrill of racing boats, the fun of water fights, the shiver from ghost stories, and the confusion of first love. In addition, the introduction of new characters and situations moves the story at a pleasing clip. This book is a worthy vessel for literary sailors seeking adventure.

Reviewed by lian gooddall in Canadian Children's Book News
Winter 2008 VOL.31 NO.1

[JennLynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off pretty slowly, but turned into an unexpectedly emotional read (I got a little sniffly). Does a great job of depicting the freedom of island life in the late 1940's. Also introduced me to a marine disaster I'd never heard of: the fire on board the Noronic while docked in Toronto which claimed some 150 lives. Has a lot of good aspects ... but I just didn't like it that much. C.

[Ilford Dectol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great historical-event-based kids story. A lot of Americans died in this Great Lakes fire.