A Storm Too Soon (Young Readers Edition): A Remarkable True Survival Story in 80 Foot Seas

True Rescue #2

by Michael J. Tougias

A spellbinding tale of maritime disaster, survival, and an absolutely daring rescue from Michael J. Tougias, the author of The Finest Hours, now a major motion picture.

When a forty-seven-foot sailboat disappears in the Gulf Stream in the throes of a disastrous storm, it leaves behind three weary sailors struggling to stay alive. This middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book tells the story of the four intrepid Coast Guardsmen who braved the sea and this ruthless storm, hoping to rescue the stranded sailors.

Genres: Nonfiction, Survival, Middle Grade, Adventure, History, Childrens, Juvenile

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2013

About the author

Adventure is the theme that runs through most of my books, from outdoors titles (The Connecticut River from Source to Sea, Exploring the Hidden Charles) to fiction (Until I Have No Country) to nonfiction sea rescues (Overboard! A Storm Too Soon, Rescue of the Bounty).
One of my current adventures is waiting to see if Disney will begin filming a movie-length version of the Coast Guard rescue book The Finest Hours. Another adventure for me is publishing a funny family memoir with my daughter, called The Cringe Chronicles (Mortifying Misadventures with my Dad).
My friends have been asking if I'll write a sequel to There's a Porcupine in my Outhouse (2003 Outdoor Book of the Year) but I think they just want me to revise their characters so they don't look so dumb!

Reviews

[J L's Bibliomania · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Storm Too Soon: A Remarkable True Survival Story in 80 Foot Seas is the Middle Grade adaptation of Michael Tougias's book A Storm Too Soon: A True Story of Disaster, Survival and an Incredible Rescue.

My older son, who prefers non-fiction to fiction and who likes stories of resilience, picked up A Storm Too Soon: A Remarkable True Survival Story in 80 Foot Seas during a recent library trip and has been obsessively reading and re-reading it. The book was a quick read for an adult, and clearly though dryly recounts the events of the unexpected storm and subsequent rescue. I think my son liked the book in part because the introduction made it clear that all of the principals in the story survived though at least one of the other boats mentioned as being in distress during the same storm was never found. So while there was tension in the moment, the level of suspense was low.

Unfortunately my library system doesn't have the adult version, or else I'd hand it to him to try.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tougias, Michael J. A Storm Too Soon Henry Holt and Company, 2016. $17.99 Content: Language: PG (3 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.

Three men set out to cross the Atlantic from Florida to France, but get caught in a catastrophic storm. Around 250 miles from the coast, their sailboat is overtaken by the waves and they are left to battle the sea in a tiny life raft, hoping that their signal was received by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard sends out a helicopter crew with a rescue swimmer to try and save the men.

This book is intense and I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened to the men and to the rescue crew. Although there isn’t a lot of backstory on any of the men, making them hard to relate to, the actual survival story is remarkable and well described. The books goes back and forth between the rescuers and the rescued. Great nonfiction read with an appealing cover.

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my 9-year old and it was a great bedtime book.

Part 1 is pretty slow (for a kid) and includes important details about technical things that set up for the rescue scenes but luckily my kids will listen to anything so long as I’m reading it to them in their beds. Haha.

Part 3 gets really good as we get into the meat of the rescue. We were on the edge of our proverbial seats!! The rescue was absolutely incredible and the courage of the Search and Rescue Swimmer, Drew, was absolutely awe inspiring.

I love reading true stories like this to my kids. It shows the best of humanity while in the scariest situations.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing true story, very well told. I love how much research the authors put into the telling of this story. It's very clear they care about the people as well as making the story easy to read for their readers. I’m enjoying this series and hope to read the other books soon.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: A Storm Too Soon: A Remarkable True Survival Story in 80 Foot Seas
Author: Michael J. Tougais
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars


Before reading this, I had never heard of this recuse mission or this event. I enjoyed getting to follow these men, their rescue, and their stories. This is written in such a suspenseful and well-done story that I found myself reading huge chunks during my reading time. Yes, I know it looks like I took a while to read this, but I haven’t had time to write the review.

When a powerful storm strikes the Gulf Stream, a forty-seven-foot sailboat vanishes without a trace. Left behind are three exhausted sailors clinging to a life raft, battling towering waves that reach as high as eighty feet. As hope fades, four courageous Coast Guardsmen launch into the raging sea, determined to find the missing boat and rescue the men before it’s too late. Adapted from an adult nonfiction account, A Storm Too Soon brings this real-life survival story to young readers with gripping detail and heart-pounding action. (Yes, I did read the children’s version of the story. I do want to track down the adult version of it.)
One of the things that really makes this book stand out is how much time it spends with both the men stranded at sea and the Coast Guard rescuers trying to save them. You get to know who these people are, where they come from, and what drives them, which makes you care about what happens. Because of that connection, the rescue feels more intense and emotional, not just like a dramatic event but like something that truly matters.
The story also includes another boat that was caught in the same storm and did not make it back. Knowing that not everyone survives makes the danger feel very real and shows just how powerful and unforgiving the ocean can be. It adds weight to the rescue and makes you appreciate how risky and brave the Coast Guard’s mission really was.
From the beginning, the book pulls you in and keeps you turning pages. The writing is clear and fast-paced, and the constant shifts between the sailors and the rescuers keep the tension high. It is the kind of book that is easy to read, hard to put down, and stays with you even after you finish it.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've read a few of Tougias' non-fiction sea rescue books, and again he captures the sheer, gut-wrenching force of a whipped up Atlantic ocean in a storm sailors and rescuers must pit themselves against to survive.

This time, it's to rescue three sailors in a sailboat the US Coast Guard isn't even aware is on the sea because of a registration glitch with an older emergency beacon system. When the Sean Seamour II is caught in storms just outside the Gulf Stream, enormous waves flip the boat and the new emergency system sinks and never transmits a signal! But the captain has an older system, which works as designed, and becomes their lifeline. Unfortunately, it carries the registration of the captain's previous boat, one he'd sold a long time ago before installing it in the Sean Seamour II.

It takes rescuers a while to figure out who they're headed out to rescue, but eventually they reach the captain's wife, and she's able to connect the dots.

Meanwhile, enormous waves roll the boat several times, injuring one of the men and near-drowning them. They wait until the absolute last moment to abandon ship. They're a dark blip on a dark ocean in dark, stormy skies, and yet the Coast Guard helicopter manages to spot them and lower a rescue swimmer to reach their lifeboat. I had no idea that was even possible!

You never know until the rescue is complete who's going to make it and who won't. We've read a few of Tougias' books and know the ocean can be deadly.

I'm not spoiling the end. You'll have to read to find out. But this was one of those seat-gripping stories because it's based on a true story.

Enjoy!

Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?

Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/

[Jack Douse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Storm Too Soon, a true survival story, is one of the best non-fiction books that I have ever read.

Captain JP de Lutz, Ben Tye, and Rudy Snel were sailing to Saint-Tropez, France when they were hit by a major tropical storm 225 miles off the coast of North Carolina. They were slammed by multiple waves over 80 feet, sinking their boat, the Sean Seamour II. They able to evacuate onto the sailboat’s life raft, but there were a couple problems. JP was severely injured and was almost unconscious. The warm water of the gulf stream was helpful, but within several hours, they could get hypothermia. And, they had no way of signaling the helicopter other than a few flares, which were quite unpredictable in the very strong winds.

The Coast Guard crew aboard an HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter had to not only locate the tiny orange raft in 88-knot winds but lift two sailors and an unconscious captain to safety.

I think A Storm Too Soon is a very good read. It is very informational and has many interesting facts. Thumbs up to Michael J. Tougias. He definitely knew what he was talking about. The book is a little slow in the beginning but picks up the pace towards the middle and end.

I really liked this book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes true survival stories and very suspenseful books.

[Kelly]

I didn't think this would be a book I'd finish, let alone speed through, but Tougias tells a compelling tale about three men who attempted to sail the Gulf Stream and the tragedy of hitting one of the worst storms imaginable (despite all of their preparations). Fast-paced, engaging, and with just enough personal history about the men and their experience to keep me going. Like a well-written adventure/survival story, except real.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually a little sad I read this one, because apparently it's the kid version and I bet the adult one has even more details. It's an exciting story of a small ship getting buried by the sea and the amazing rescue by the Coast Guard, while quietly in the background another ship is lost completely with no survivors. The details of each person and the decisions, bits of luck good and bad, and skill of the SAR team all come vividly to life.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this true story of three men who are caught in a catastrophic storm at sea. The story flips between the Coast Guard and the men from the sail boat and I couldn't put it down. I wish there would have been more back story on the men, but everything else was great and I liked the readable account.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this hyper paced real life thriller. The writing is crisp and makes for an effortless read. I loved learning about sea rescue teams and the emergency equipment operated by sailors. The heroism, reasoning skills, and awesome power of nature is sure to rivet tweens.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinion this was a decent book. It was just decent because every other sentence it was going into a full on explanation of random facts about the ocean. This made me definitely stay away from everything that this author wrote but it made me like to read about the sea.

[Keelie Patten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary-
At the beginning of the book, Jean Pierre “JP” de lutz, Rudy Snel, and Ben Frye, all met up to take JP’s boat across the Atlantic, from Florida to France. They research the weather and see that it should be smooth sailing on their adventure. But they soon realize that what the ocean has in store for them is more than anyone could ever have expected. They set sail but shortly after they are caught in a massive storm with 80-foot waves and their only hope was that the boat would somehow stay afloat. After capsizing twice, their boat sinks and all they are left with is an 8-foot life raft and the hope that someone heard their cry for help. The sea gets nothing but worse, JP has 10 broken ribs and is hanging on for dear life, while Rudy and Ben are becoming weaker and weaker from hypothermia. Against all odds, they eventually see a helicopter flying overhead and a rescue swimmer is deployed into the water to save them. One by one, the men are lifted into the helicopter but this came with a major price. In saving all of the men, Drew, the recue swimmer, severely injured his back. The helicopter is able to fly them back to land and get them into a hospital. Eventually, the men are released and they part ways to go home and try to forget what had happened to them.

Reveiw- A Storm Too Soon was one of the best books I’ve ever read, it’s a thrilling novel about 3 men’s attempt to cross the Atlantic. I really enjoyed this novel because the experiences felt so real and the way the author describes certain circumstances just amazed me. It was clear to see that the book was intended for a younger reader, but it still was very intriguing and had me really thinking about what it was like for the people aboard that boat. I have no notes for the author, I mean everything about this book was perfect, the length, the descriptions, and the basic adventure. I would recommend this book to anyone because it is just so good, I honestly just can’t get over how amazing every element about this book was. Honestly, I think this would be a great novel to teach in schools for many reasons. One being that most of the nonfiction novels that I have learned about in schools were mostly all about WWI or WWII, which there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but I think it would be refreshing to read about something else in the nonfiction genera. I also think this book should be taught in schools because it is a great example of how perseverance can save you. Now, most of the people who read this book will never be in the same situation that Rudy, Ben, and JP were in but it just goes to show that you can’t give up because who knows what is waiting for you. I think there is a lot to learn from this novel, but one of the best lessons is to never give up, no matter how hard times are, just keep going. Because in this book, if those men had given up after there boat sank, there is no way that they could have survived.

Questions about the book-
In the book, it seemed so easy for the men to come to terms with the idea that they were going to die, why is that?
How was it that no satellite picked up on the gigantic storm that the men sailed into?
How was JP able to hang on for so long when he had 10 broken ribs and was dying from hypothermia?

[ShiannH]

In the novel “A Storm Too Soon” by Michael J. Tougias, three veteran sailors set out on a remarkable voyage from Florida to France, but soon turns into a nightmare. As a storm comes rushing their way, the Gulf Stream swallows their 47 foot sailboat, leaving the three sailors stranded on a life raft in eighty feet tall waves. I found this novel during a school book fair while I was trying to find the book that I came there for. It was in the same genre section and caught my attention, so I just decided to buy it.
JP (from France), Rudy (from Canada), and Ben (from the UK) board the boat, the Sean Seamour ll, in Florida. All of the men are excited for their voyage across the Atlantic to France. They had to delay a day because the ship wasn't ready for departure, but as the next day came the ship was ready. Rudy and his crew were ready for their trip; the first day on sea was very calming and relaxing, the second was alright but there wasn’t any sign of weather reports. On the third day, the sky turned dark and the clouds surrounded the sky, which made the crew members worry. Because of that, the Sean Seamour ll was issued to move out of the gulf stream. Luckily, JP, Rudy, and Ben steered the boat out of the gulf coast where it would’ve been worse, but they led themselves right into another sub-tropical storm ahead that was a near-death experience for them. With waves up to 85 feet, a 50 foot wave took down the Sean Seamour ll leaving the sailors pinned and struggling to survive. If it weren’t for JP and his smart thinking, they all would’ve been dead. They successfully make it out of the ship as a 90 foot wave basically sunk it and made it onto a raft, but JP’s is living on thin ice and his crew members try to help him. Finally, they’ve been spotted by the rescue workers and get immediate attention, still on top of a 90 foot wave. All 3 of the sailors have been taken up carefully into the aircraft by the swimmer with his basket and they live to tell this tale.
Throughout this novel, I thought the ending was a good way to end it, knowing that it is based on a true story and they all successfully made it out alive. The plot was very easy to understand and there were a lot of details incorporated throughout the novel. Even though it probably wasn’t cool for the sailors, I thought it was cool to see how powerful the weather and storms are and what the ocean can do during a storm. My favorite part of the novel was the amount of teamwork involved in the novel. They all tried to help each other out even though they were living on thin ice. In addition, I also thought the graphics in the novel were pretty cool because of how realistic they are and shows the plot through pictures.
In my opinion, the novel was pretty interesting and would be cool as a series. Even though I don’t really like this type of genre, it was pretty cool to read about. I recommend this book for anyone who likes action novels and true stories. I also recommend this for all teens because it is a little hard to understand at first, but once you keep reading, it will make a lot more sense.

[MAXIMILIAN KNETTEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILERS
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure/survival stories. In this story, the main characters are left stranded on their lifeboat after a hurricane took out their main boat. In the middle of the hurricane, four Coast Guards come with their Helicopter to try to rescue them. Along with the crew of the Sean Seamour II, there were three other boats out that night, and only three of the four were rescued. There are a few things that Tougias did well while writing this book. He kept the suspense high by never telling you what will happen next right away. He also made the main parts just right. They weren't too long or too short and dragging on. Another thing he did well was showing that they weren't the only crew out that night. It really helped demonstrate that in times of trouble not everyone will make it out as well as the other. Even though his strengths outweigh his weaknesses, he is not a perfect writer. One thing he could have done better with was his word choice. There were a few sentences that were very wordy and could've been dumbed down a little bit. One thing I would've liked to hear more of was the story of the other ships in the storm. The main focus point was obviously JP's crew, but it would've been neat to hear the story of some of the other ships.

[CONNOR · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Storm Too Soon is a story about three friends, Rudy, J.P, and Ben. The three friends plan on having a trip of a lifetime sailing from Florida to France. Their trip is abruptly interrupted by a devastating storm with 80 feet waves. The three friends must survive long enough in the middle of the ocean until help arrives.
The things that I liked about this book was that the author does a very good job on hooking the reader. Of all the things that happen in this book, you will stay hooked until the very end. You grow attached to the characters because they are so likable. It is truly an underdog story because they have to face such an impossible task. This book is a true story and I liked that it was so dead on accurate and the author brings so much detail to the book.
The things that could have been better in this book is a lot more dialogue. You barely hear any of the characters interact with each other. Even though it is a disaster book and there isn't much talking, I still would have liked to see more dialogue. Another thing that could have been better is limited the confusing terms. There are many ship acronyms and items that didn't really make sense to me. I had no clue what they meant until I looked it up. I would've like the author to explain those terms more to the reader.

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three sailors plan to sail their sailboat from Florida to Europe. JP, the Captain, sets May 1 to start as it is a month before hurricane season. They start May 2. Weather reports give them good sailing weather.
Weather forecasts are known to often be wrong. There are two low pressure cells that merge to bring multiple disasters to that area of the Atlantic Ocean.
When an ocean disaster strikes, the Coast Guard goes into action to help and/or rescue the ships involved. A mayday is sent out when the Sean Seamour II starts sinking and the Coasties are on the way.
This book may be nonfiction, but it is a thriller. I read the juvenile version and it will keep any reader devouring the pages. The section of photographs includes some of the storm and they are hard to grasp in their magnitude.
Worked into the narrative are the stories of the men, sailors and Coasties, involved as well as a lot of information about the Coast Guard rescue centers. These men may not have superpowers, but they act like they do.
The book is fast, easy reading and definitely thrilling.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, survival story with some parts a bit dry but it's nonfiction so the details may overwhelm a student not interested in sailing/boating. I am not-have a bit of a fear of open water so no boats for me, but learned so much! As I was reading, I thought of the Doc Ford series I like.
Will appeal most to students grades 4-8 who love survival stories and have a passion for sailing/boating. Nautical terminology is very detailed for average elem reader of survival stories. Must purchase for MS collections. Purchase where you have readers who ask for boating books and excess budget $ at elementary. The average 4th grader will be drawn in by the cover, but may not make it to the storm. I liked the background info-their families, earlier life, schooling, failures, etc about each person. They are real and imperfect and thankfully, survivors.

[Sean Garrity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was by far one of the best books I have read ever. This book had such a remarkable ending and I would just become more and more hooked on each chapter as I progressed into the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in 7th grade and up. This book is about three men who were stuck at rough sea with only a small raft off of the gulf coast. Many many days elapsed until they were rescued and this books does a great job of displaying what it was like day by day. There is also body cam footage from the USCG when they rescued these men at sea which is certainly worth checking out. I normally do not write such a detailed review but this book was very impressive so I thought I would share.

[Alysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good non-fiction book. It gives enough background to make it interesting but not too much to overpower the incredible story.
Three strangers embark on a transatlantic journey. The men meet for the first time just days before they leave. The author does a great job of building up to the storm, explaining the details of the boat sinking, them of the raft, and the rescue.
The author bounces between the perspective of the men and the rescue team to create a full circle story that is easy to understand and keep your attention.

[BooksNCrannies · Rating 3 out of 5]

'A Storm Too Soon' brings a very dramatic narrative to readers. Told from both the rescuers' and rescuees' point of view, this book allows the reader to be involved in both sides of this thrilling rescue. The fact that this story really happened steps up the drama quite a bit. The coast guardsmen who performed this rescue are amazing in their skills! Near the end of the book, some profanities do occur in the dialogue. Overall, 'A Storm Too Soon' was a remarkable account of this incredible rescue.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was perhaps not the best choice for (an ocean) beach vacay read, but it was definitely a page-turner. Having very little experience with sailing - and none at all on a sailboat the size of theirs - I struggled to visualize what exactly was happening on the deck, in the cabin, and with the lifeboat during the storm. Thankfully, the author gives a fair explanation of the sailors' thoughts & feelings, along with the implications for each catastrophe as it happens, so I followed well enough to appreciate the terror of the rescue mission.

[Hillary Herbst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaw Dropping & encapturing

I was hooked from chapter one & on the edge of my seat throughout the entire storm. As a former Coast Guard SAR Coordinator, I know what goes on behind the scenes, but was rarely, if ever filled in on all the details of a rescue—and never participated in a rescue of this magnitude. I’m thankful to all involved for furthing NOAAs restrictions on GPIRBS & for telling their story to prevent future mishaps.

[Nolan White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book "A Storm Too Soon" in my 7th Grade ELA Class. After reading our books, we were then all assigned to imagine creating the plot of the book into a major film. Part of our project was to partner up with a friend and record an interview using WeVideo like they do with directors of new movies. This is my project, I hope you enjoy it. SPOILERS AHEAD.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-dCq...

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son read this book for school. He loved it. He wanted me to read it so he asked his teacher if I could borrow the book.

I have to say it was pretty good. It kept me up worrying about the rescue. Even though I knew they would be rescued. The book was well written and I enjoyed reading it.

If you love true stories about survival then you will love this exciting clean fun read.

[Erin Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciate any reading about Coast Guard rescues, and this book was no different! The details about maritime activity/adventuring and the U.S. Coast Guard were so interesting and informative. And the fact that the original book was adapted to this middle reader version made it a quick and exciting read.

[Nanny B · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exciting book. What started off as a great start of a journey of sailing on the Gulf Stream off the cost of Florida and across the Atlantic turned into a nightmare with rogue waves 80 feet high, and a helicopter rescue team trying to save the lives of the sailors without losing their own in the process.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that the theme of A Storm Too Soon is trust and teamwork. The sailors had to work together to prepare the ship for the voyage and will have to work together to survive the storm in their small lifeboat. They also have to trust each other and their decisions, which can also tie back to the teamwork aspect. They have to trust that have done the right thing, like when Jean Pierre decided to change course and when they decided to leave the Gulf Stream earlier than planned. Jean Pierre also had to trust himself when he made a decision based on his sailor instincts, instead of based on the inaccurate weather predictions. The team also has to work together to make sure they all keep their head and hope while in the lifeboat, they have to keep each other strong- especially since one of them is injured and barely hanging on. With teamwork, they trust that they will come out of this borrowing experience alive, and they do, they survive to tell the tale.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting middle-grade informational text. I hadn't heard about this story, and it's truly terrifying! Parts of this read like a thriller, parts get a bit bogged down in the details. All in all, this is a great addition to my classroom library!

[Yaduraj Choudhary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was very thrilling and a good writing of a true story. However, I feel it could have used a little bit more description and writing.