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Arctic Star
Multi-award-winning author Tom Palmer returns with a thrilling naval adventure inspired by the incredible history of the Second World War Arctic convoys.
Winter 1943. Teenagers Frank, Joseph and Stephen are Royal Navy recruits on their first mission at sea during the Second World War. Their ship is part of an Arctic Convoy sailing to Russia to deliver supplies to the Soviets. The convoys have to navigate treacherous waters, sailing through a narrow channel between the Arctic ice pack and German bases on the Norwegian coast. Faced with terrifying enemy attacks from both air and sea, as well as life-threatening cold and storms, will all three boys make it home again?
Winter 1943. Teenagers Frank, Joseph and Stephen are Royal Navy recruits on their first mission at sea during the Second World War. Their ship is part of an Arctic Convoy sailing to Russia to deliver supplies to the Soviets. The convoys have to navigate treacherous waters, sailing through a narrow channel between the Arctic ice pack and German bases on the Norwegian coast. Faced with terrifying enemy attacks from both air and sea, as well as life-threatening cold and storms, will all three boys make it home again?
208 pages, Paperback
Published May 6, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 14, 2021
This is my first Tom Palmer book and I thought it was excellent. A story set within a real historical event, the 1943 Arctic Convoy, it follows the journey of three men and their dangerous sailing through freezing seas and Nazi naval vessels.
Frank, Stephen and Joseph, who have grown up together in Plymouth, face perilous tasks and exhausting trials as they travel to and from Russia delivering stock. These journeys upon the seas are filled deftly by Palmer with tension from falling victim to either the natural elements or a torpedo of a German ship. Yet what Palmer does so well, and the thing that will draw me back to more of his work is that sense of humility of humanity of the three young men.
With welcome author notes and photos at the back, this is an excellent introduction to a lesser-known moment in WW2 history that feels real and honest.
Frank, Stephen and Joseph, who have grown up together in Plymouth, face perilous tasks and exhausting trials as they travel to and from Russia delivering stock. These journeys upon the seas are filled deftly by Palmer with tension from falling victim to either the natural elements or a torpedo of a German ship. Yet what Palmer does so well, and the thing that will draw me back to more of his work is that sense of humility of humanity of the three young men.
With welcome author notes and photos at the back, this is an excellent introduction to a lesser-known moment in WW2 history that feels real and honest.
July 26, 2021
I've read about convoys and their escorts crossing the Atlantic Ocean during WWII, but never about the ships that escorted convoys traveling parallel to Norway to a base in northern Russia through waters alive with German submarines loaded with torpedoes and Luftwaffe just waiting to take to the air and strike. But even more terrifying than U-Boat attacks and airplane strikes was Hitler's newest ship the Scharnhorst, "the most feared German vessel on the ocean" and rumor has it that she is on the move. Needless to say, this novel, based on a true story, is action packed.
It may only be October 1943, but teenager Frank, along with his childhood friends Stephen and Joseph, have bundled up to go out on the deck of the HMS Forgetmenot, a convoy escort, to chisel as much ice as possible off the deck of the ship. It's not easy task, given the rough sea, the high waves, and the rolling and tossing of the ship. Which is how Frank suddenly lost his balance and found himself falling into the sea. Sure he was a goner, Frank is surprised to wake up back on the ship.
Frank recovers, and eventually, the ship makes it to their destination in Russia, but on the way back to their home port, they are torpedoed, and once again Frank finds himself in the freezing Arctic waters as the HMS Forgetmenot sinks. Picked up by a rescue ship, Frank realizes his friend Joseph is dead, but Stephen, who was in the engine room, has miraculously survived.
Frank and Stephen are given a Survivor's Leave, returning home to Plymouth, England to see their families, and pay their respects to Joseph's father. While there, they receive their orders to report to the HMS Belfast, back on Arctic Convoy duty. And while the HMS Belfast is a larger ship that the HMS Forgetmenot, the trip north to Russia is still filled with fear, anxiety and danger.
The book ends with the Battle of North Cape, the real life battle between the Arctic Convoy and the dreaded Scharnhorst battleship. I said it is a nail-biter and it is right up to the end. Palmer's descriptions of the cold weather and icy waters of the Norwegian Sea, the ice that coated the ship and had to be constantly chiseled away to prevent the ships from getting top heavy and capsizing, were realistic enough to give me chills despite reading it during a heatwave.
But even more realistic than the elements were Frank's thoughts and fears. Frank is a sensitive, conscientious boy, and dealing with a dangerous mission should be enough for a anyone who is still a teen, but he must also deal with worry about his mother alone in Plymouth, grieve for a friend who died while the two friends were not on speaking terms, and his own fears of what could happen. The story is told from Frank's first point of view and I thought Palmer did a great job of giving readers a sense of what it was like to be Frank without overwhelming them with too much tension.
Arctic Star isn't a very long novel, but packs a powerful punch. The Arctic Convoys were such difficult and harrowing missions that an special award called The Arctic Star was created in 2012 for those men who served on what Winston Churchill called "the worst journey in the world." The book is not named for this award, but rather for the North Star that plays a small but important role in Frank's story.
Back matter includes an Author's Note and photographs of men who served on the Arctic Convoys, as well as additional information on the HMS Belfast.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was purchased for my personal library
It may only be October 1943, but teenager Frank, along with his childhood friends Stephen and Joseph, have bundled up to go out on the deck of the HMS Forgetmenot, a convoy escort, to chisel as much ice as possible off the deck of the ship. It's not easy task, given the rough sea, the high waves, and the rolling and tossing of the ship. Which is how Frank suddenly lost his balance and found himself falling into the sea. Sure he was a goner, Frank is surprised to wake up back on the ship.
Frank recovers, and eventually, the ship makes it to their destination in Russia, but on the way back to their home port, they are torpedoed, and once again Frank finds himself in the freezing Arctic waters as the HMS Forgetmenot sinks. Picked up by a rescue ship, Frank realizes his friend Joseph is dead, but Stephen, who was in the engine room, has miraculously survived.
Frank and Stephen are given a Survivor's Leave, returning home to Plymouth, England to see their families, and pay their respects to Joseph's father. While there, they receive their orders to report to the HMS Belfast, back on Arctic Convoy duty. And while the HMS Belfast is a larger ship that the HMS Forgetmenot, the trip north to Russia is still filled with fear, anxiety and danger.
The book ends with the Battle of North Cape, the real life battle between the Arctic Convoy and the dreaded Scharnhorst battleship. I said it is a nail-biter and it is right up to the end. Palmer's descriptions of the cold weather and icy waters of the Norwegian Sea, the ice that coated the ship and had to be constantly chiseled away to prevent the ships from getting top heavy and capsizing, were realistic enough to give me chills despite reading it during a heatwave.
But even more realistic than the elements were Frank's thoughts and fears. Frank is a sensitive, conscientious boy, and dealing with a dangerous mission should be enough for a anyone who is still a teen, but he must also deal with worry about his mother alone in Plymouth, grieve for a friend who died while the two friends were not on speaking terms, and his own fears of what could happen. The story is told from Frank's first point of view and I thought Palmer did a great job of giving readers a sense of what it was like to be Frank without overwhelming them with too much tension.
Arctic Star isn't a very long novel, but packs a powerful punch. The Arctic Convoys were such difficult and harrowing missions that an special award called The Arctic Star was created in 2012 for those men who served on what Winston Churchill called "the worst journey in the world." The book is not named for this award, but rather for the North Star that plays a small but important role in Frank's story.
Back matter includes an Author's Note and photographs of men who served on the Arctic Convoys, as well as additional information on the HMS Belfast.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was purchased for my personal library
October 2, 2021
I love Tom Palmer’s historical fiction from Barrington Stoke and not just for reluctant readers. I book talk these for everyone, Alan Gratz fans, kids waiting for the next one in a series to become available, these individual novels can be picked up and read in a relatively short time and are fast paced. This one was interesting to me because my Grandad was in the navy, and I got a real sense of the terror the men must have felt that doom was always just one torpedo away.
May 15, 2021
Wow, this was so good.
It was gripping and very sad in places.
This was my first Tom Palmer book.and now I'm going to get some more.
It was gripping and very sad in places.
This was my first Tom Palmer book.and now I'm going to get some more.
June 2, 2021
Arctic Star is the latest World War Two set release from publishers Barrington Stoke, and much like their previous books set during this period the novel presents a pretty stark and honest look at the realities of the war for younger readers; refusing to sugar coat the horrors that people had to endure.
Set during the winter of 1943, the story follows three young men from Plymouth, Frank, Joseph, and Stephen, who after growing up watching the Royal Navy ships come in and out of Plymouth decide that they want a life in the Navy too, serving king and country against the threat of the Nazi forces. Luckily for the three of them, they get assigned to the same ship, unfortunately though, they end up as part of a convoy taking much needed supplies to Russian allied forces through treacherous and freezing oceans.
The book begins dramatically, showing the harsh conditions that the three friends, and other real life sailors, would have to deal with as part of the Arctic convoys. Sub-zero winds, massive waves, and water that freezes on the decks of the ship into huge blocks of ice are a daily reality for the crew, and it's whilst trying to chisel these frozen hazards off the ship that Frank is thrown overboard, into the freezing waters below. Though Frank is quickly saved, this moment manages to show not only how dangerous these conditions are, but that our three leads aren't guaranteed to stay safe across the course of the story.
Without giving away too many details of the book, one of the three friends doesn't survive the story, and a good portion of the book is given over to showing the effects that the war had on young people like Frank, Joseph, and Stephen, how losing close friends could lead them to doubt their conviction for the cause, and how their own near death experiences would leave them deeply emotionally scarred. The book is written for readers of all ages, so you're not going to be seeing sailors blow to pieces or burnt in fires on board ships, but it does have people die in it. It doesn't pretend that war was some grand adventure where no one got hurt and young men became heroes.
In fact, there's not much heroic in this book. Even when the end of the book deals with the real life Battle of North Cape, which saw Royal Navy ships engaging with the Scharnhorst, a huge battleship responsible for destroying numerous ships, those sailors on the British ships don't celebrate the destruction of their enemy; even though their enemy was just trying to kill them. Tom Palmer looked at the reports from sailors present at the battle, saw how the huge loss of life, even of their enemies, affected them, and put that in the book. He shows younger readers that you can feel sorry for the loss of life on the other side of the battle lines, and that there's no joy in celebrating death.
Tom Palmer is brutally honest in his book, and as such it makes for an effective and engaging read; one that some younger readers might find surprising, and could result in some shocks and tears. But I think it's important that children be shown that violence and war isn't as heroic as it's been made out to be, that loss of any life is a terrible, sad thing, and this book does that in spades.
Set during the winter of 1943, the story follows three young men from Plymouth, Frank, Joseph, and Stephen, who after growing up watching the Royal Navy ships come in and out of Plymouth decide that they want a life in the Navy too, serving king and country against the threat of the Nazi forces. Luckily for the three of them, they get assigned to the same ship, unfortunately though, they end up as part of a convoy taking much needed supplies to Russian allied forces through treacherous and freezing oceans.
The book begins dramatically, showing the harsh conditions that the three friends, and other real life sailors, would have to deal with as part of the Arctic convoys. Sub-zero winds, massive waves, and water that freezes on the decks of the ship into huge blocks of ice are a daily reality for the crew, and it's whilst trying to chisel these frozen hazards off the ship that Frank is thrown overboard, into the freezing waters below. Though Frank is quickly saved, this moment manages to show not only how dangerous these conditions are, but that our three leads aren't guaranteed to stay safe across the course of the story.
Without giving away too many details of the book, one of the three friends doesn't survive the story, and a good portion of the book is given over to showing the effects that the war had on young people like Frank, Joseph, and Stephen, how losing close friends could lead them to doubt their conviction for the cause, and how their own near death experiences would leave them deeply emotionally scarred. The book is written for readers of all ages, so you're not going to be seeing sailors blow to pieces or burnt in fires on board ships, but it does have people die in it. It doesn't pretend that war was some grand adventure where no one got hurt and young men became heroes.
In fact, there's not much heroic in this book. Even when the end of the book deals with the real life Battle of North Cape, which saw Royal Navy ships engaging with the Scharnhorst, a huge battleship responsible for destroying numerous ships, those sailors on the British ships don't celebrate the destruction of their enemy; even though their enemy was just trying to kill them. Tom Palmer looked at the reports from sailors present at the battle, saw how the huge loss of life, even of their enemies, affected them, and put that in the book. He shows younger readers that you can feel sorry for the loss of life on the other side of the battle lines, and that there's no joy in celebrating death.
Tom Palmer is brutally honest in his book, and as such it makes for an effective and engaging read; one that some younger readers might find surprising, and could result in some shocks and tears. But I think it's important that children be shown that violence and war isn't as heroic as it's been made out to be, that loss of any life is a terrible, sad thing, and this book does that in spades.
June 24, 2021
Another impressively gritty wartime tale from Tom Palmer, who brings you crashing into the terrifying realities of the Artic Convoys of World War II.
Told from the point of view of the young men who battled the enemy and the extreme conditions, while trying desperately to stay alive.
Unflinching stuff.
Told from the point of view of the young men who battled the enemy and the extreme conditions, while trying desperately to stay alive.
Unflinching stuff.
October 17, 2021
'Arctic Star' follows three navy soldiers as they navigate the treacherous waters of the Arctic. Set in the second world war this story focuses on the convoy that sent supplies to the Soviet Union during the war. This journey was perilous due to German warships littering the way. Will Frank, Joseph and Stephen make it back to English shores?
Things I liked:
- I learnt something new! I had no idea about the Navy's trips to Russia during WW2 so this was really interesting to learn about. I also loved all the photos and notes Palmer had in the back of the book. Really interesting.
- The book is short and sweet and gets enough detail in to make things seem fleshed out. It's perfect for young or reluctant readers.
Things I didn't like:
- Due to its size, it wasn't a great read for me as I really wanted to get into the nitty-gritty but I understand I am not the target audience.
- The pace of the book suffered at times as the narrative was quite back and forth. We are here, now we are there and oh yes we are here again. It felt disconnected in places which made the moments of tension fall flat.
- One of the surviving characters made no sense to me. Like no way he should have survived at all!
A fictional war story that bases a lot of its setting and encounters on facts. What I liked about this book was it told me something new about the history of the war. I was not aware of the Navy's trips to the Soviet Union during this time and that was really interesting to learn about. I also had no idea about the battle in these waters with German ships. It was fascinating to learn about this history. The story itself was a good snapshot into what it must have been like for seamen but at times the back and forth storyline made the pace dip. A great story for young readers.
Things I liked:
- I learnt something new! I had no idea about the Navy's trips to Russia during WW2 so this was really interesting to learn about. I also loved all the photos and notes Palmer had in the back of the book. Really interesting.
- The book is short and sweet and gets enough detail in to make things seem fleshed out. It's perfect for young or reluctant readers.
Things I didn't like:
- Due to its size, it wasn't a great read for me as I really wanted to get into the nitty-gritty but I understand I am not the target audience.
- The pace of the book suffered at times as the narrative was quite back and forth. We are here, now we are there and oh yes we are here again. It felt disconnected in places which made the moments of tension fall flat.
- One of the surviving characters made no sense to me. Like no way he should have survived at all!
A fictional war story that bases a lot of its setting and encounters on facts. What I liked about this book was it told me something new about the history of the war. I was not aware of the Navy's trips to the Soviet Union during this time and that was really interesting to learn about. I also had no idea about the battle in these waters with German ships. It was fascinating to learn about this history. The story itself was a good snapshot into what it must have been like for seamen but at times the back and forth storyline made the pace dip. A great story for young readers.
February 6, 2023
It wasn’t until 2013 that the men who served on the Arctic Convoys in the Second World War were properly honoured for their bravery. But anyone reading Tom Palmer’s typically vivid and powerful short novel will understand exactly what they went through, and what kept them going. Arctic Star features three young friends: Frank, Joseph (he dies) and Stephen Royal Navy recruits, and follows them on the perilous journeys they make escorting merchant vessels across the Arctic as they deliver supplies to the Russians.
The sea is wild and treacherous, icy cold, and of course, they are hunted through the waters by German battleships, planes and submarines. The boys struggle with the ice, fog, freezing temperatures and needing to constantly stay aleart for enemy ships. Only 36 of the 2,000 German sailors on the sinking Scharnhorst could be rescued by the Royal Navy. Palmer packs not just a huge story, but a huge amount of information and atmosphere into this short book, and in Frank, Joseph and Stephen, he creates three young men readers won’t forget in a hurry.
The climax of the story is the deadly battle between HMS Belfast and the Scharnhorst, and it will leave readers exhausted, but full of compassion and sympathy for all the men caught up in this terrifying field of war. Historical fiction doesn’t get much better than this.
https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/bo...
The Arctic Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 19 December 2012 for award to British Commonwealth forces who served on the Arctic Convoys north of the Arctic Circle, during the Second World War.[1] Wikipedia
The sea is wild and treacherous, icy cold, and of course, they are hunted through the waters by German battleships, planes and submarines. The boys struggle with the ice, fog, freezing temperatures and needing to constantly stay aleart for enemy ships. Only 36 of the 2,000 German sailors on the sinking Scharnhorst could be rescued by the Royal Navy. Palmer packs not just a huge story, but a huge amount of information and atmosphere into this short book, and in Frank, Joseph and Stephen, he creates three young men readers won’t forget in a hurry.
The climax of the story is the deadly battle between HMS Belfast and the Scharnhorst, and it will leave readers exhausted, but full of compassion and sympathy for all the men caught up in this terrifying field of war. Historical fiction doesn’t get much better than this.
https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/bo...
The Arctic Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 19 December 2012 for award to British Commonwealth forces who served on the Arctic Convoys north of the Arctic Circle, during the Second World War.[1] Wikipedia
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2021
While I didn't enjoy this as much as After the War, it is another well researched and well written war story with great characters. Palmer manages to capture the sense of intense cold in the north Atlantic as well as the fear and danger experienced by those who took part in the Arctic convoys. One of the most powerful elements was in Russia, where one of the friends who has learned Russian and admires what he understands about their society faces the reality. Very accessible this is a really good read overall.
November 1, 2022
I was intrigued by this book because this publisher is specialises in books for reluctant readers and children with dyslexia. They use a font and a page layout that is easier to read.
The story follows three young men who are on a large naval ship during WW2. The story focuses on their experience detailing their roles on the ship, the camaraderie among soldiers, the experience of being in Russia, the fear of battle, the grief and pain of loss.
I would recommend this book for a mature young reader - age 11+.
The story follows three young men who are on a large naval ship during WW2. The story focuses on their experience detailing their roles on the ship, the camaraderie among soldiers, the experience of being in Russia, the fear of battle, the grief and pain of loss.
I would recommend this book for a mature young reader - age 11+.
July 10, 2021
Tom Palmer has done it again. Another war story cleverly created with fictional characters giving a personal touch to real life events. The story of childhood friends Frank, Joseph and Stephen growing up in Plymouth and joining the navy, set alongside the true story of the Arctic Convoy, is both heartwarming and heartwrenching. With brilliant attention to detail and description that leaves you feeling seasick and shivering, this was another book from Palmer I couldn't put down.
July 24, 2021
This took a while as I read it aloud to my Year 7 classes. We loved it! I timed it so that we finished in their last lesson and they were hooked. Everything about it was fabulous. The historical accuracy and accompanying research has them fascinated and the characterisation was spot on. It enabled some very important conversations about friendship and what it meant to be brave. Will definitely be hunting out more by Tom Palmer.
September 7, 2025
A fantastic read, guaranteed to hook in any tween and teen readers interested in history, particularly the details of specific battles. This book isn’t your usual WW2 battle story; instead, it focuses on the British ships travelling in Arctic convoys to Russia. It also provides a basic introduction to communism during the scenes of shore leave. It is short, simply written, fast paced and an utterly compelling story.
May 2, 2021
Tom Palmer is one of those authors who just GETS it. He hits the nail on the head again. This is an incredible book: a story of bravery, friendship and Naval arctic travel. This made me cry twice. The friendship between the boys, the sense of duty and the very real emotions of being a soldier. Just exceptional. I can not get enough of his WW2 fiction so if we could have more that'd be great!
June 3, 2021
Frank is a sailor in the Royal Navy. Their job is to protect the convoys of ships carrying supplies to Russia through the Arctic Ocean. The book explores the brutal conditions they endured and the constant dangers they faced from sea and air.
Very few children’s books (if any) have been written about the navy’s involvement in WWII so this is a welcome change from the usual war stories.
Very few children’s books (if any) have been written about the navy’s involvement in WWII so this is a welcome change from the usual war stories.
May 23, 2022
Crisp, clear writing.
Great high interest topic - the incredible service and mission of the Royal Navy - the Arctic Convoy, delivering much needed supplies to Russia but under attack from the Germans - during World War 2. Enemy attacks from both air and sea, plus the hostile, frozen environment, made this service almost unendurable, and the loss of life on both sides was overwhelming.
Great high interest topic - the incredible service and mission of the Royal Navy - the Arctic Convoy, delivering much needed supplies to Russia but under attack from the Germans - during World War 2. Enemy attacks from both air and sea, plus the hostile, frozen environment, made this service almost unendurable, and the loss of life on both sides was overwhelming.
December 31, 2025
as a war story to share with a young person in my life, this was really great. The pictures were good too, and given the difficulty in keeping hold of people from the generation who understands these things because they're all sadly getting very old now, I was glad to get hold of this and will absolutely be revisiting it when my son is in primary school studying the war.
January 2, 2022
This style of writing just was not for me. I didn’t feel as though I got to know any of the characters and I didn’t really feel all too invested in the action. Maybe the book needed to be longer or something. I wouldn’t reread.
May 2, 2021
Another terrific triumph from Tom Palmer. Devoured in one sitting and it is definitely going into our WW2 topic as a focus text.
May 16, 2021
Love Tom Palmer's books. Easy to read and make you go off and find out more about the subject.
July 3, 2021
Another gut-wrenching, heart-pulling, mind-blowing story giving kids and grown-ups alike new understanding and perspectives on war
July 24, 2021
This is a superb book. The characters, the setting and the story are all wonderfully told. A real tribute to the men of the Arctic convoys.
July 28, 2022
VVVV GOOD LOVE HIS STYLE OF HISTORICAL FICTION WRITING SO EXCITED I GET TO MEET HIM NEXT WEEK😁😁
September 3, 2023
A war story that I've never heard before. Harrowing and full of sorrow.
A reminder of the loss and fear that happened during World War ll
A reminder of the loss and fear that happened during World War ll
November 29, 2023
Only one cuss word. exciting , gives me adrenaline rush, I recommend this book for nine and up ( i’m nine).
January 1, 2024
It was engaging and very informative as Tom Palmer’s books always are - but the story for this one seemed to end very abruptly!
March 10, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. I love war fiction novels and have read the others by Tom Palmer. However this is in my opinion the best and most exciting one.
January 31, 2025
thsi book was amazing i read in oned day it was fased pased and had a grate storyline it is perfect for a light read with education value! the end was not expected and overall a grate book!
April 15, 2025
i felt very patriotic by the end, thank you for the sense of pride tom palmer
December 6, 2025
A simple but enjoyable tale which has its roots in real history. I can imagine history loving children cherishing this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews