Author Michele Torrey

All Nick ever wanted was to be a whaling captain, like his father before him. What could be more glorious than the life of a sailor, battling mighty sperm whales and returning home rich as Midas? So when his older brother, Dexter, signs aboard the Sea Hawk, Nick won’t stand to be left behind.
But life at sea is very different from what either Dexter or Nick expected. The whales are monstrous, and hunting them is a perilous occupation. The boys are mercilessly overworked by a cruel and dangerous captain. The officers think nothing of beating the crewmen within an inch of their lives. And that’s only the beginning! When an awful turn of fate traps them in the harsh Arctic winter, Nick and Dexter find themselves in a battle for their very lives.

"Torrey . . . unspools a nail-biting adventure . . ." Publisher's Weekly

". . . adventure fans will hardly have time to draw breath between tribulations . . ." The Bulletin

"Powerful descriptions, authentic language and details, and an absorbing plot propel this superior historical fiction." Children's Literature

2005-'06 Maine Student Book Award Nominee

2007 Sequoyah Young Adult Book Award Nominee