Shipwrecked! The true adventures of a Japanese boy by Rhoda Blumberg is a biography about Manjiro, a Japanese man that was stranded on a deserted island after a shipwreck as a young man. Unable to return to his isolated homeland, Manjiro, is rescued by an American whaling boat captain and taken to the United States. He spends twelve years of his life in the United States and working on ships before finally returning to his homeland. Once there, he played an integral role in opening up the ports of Japan for trade between his country and the United States.
Much of this book is based on the whaling industry, ships, and trading as it affects Manjiro’s life. In the classroom, this book could be used as the catalyst for a STEM unit on math and engineering. Students could research whaling ships of the 1800’s. Then, design and build a model of a whaling ship using various classroom materials.
I found this biography to be entertaining and easy to read. It reads more like a picture book rather than a non-fiction biographical story which I appreciate. I also loved the inclusion of Manjiro’s authentic sketches and the Japanese and American artwork. Manjiro’s incredible life story is sure to entertain and delight readers! 
(Image retrieved from amazon.com)
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