Shellback, new book release by Karen Foresti Hempson

Karen Foresti Hempson has just released her new book Shellback, a YA story that includes essential questions for discussion.

Hempson's story centers around Francis or “Fudz,” who expresses a desire to escape the burdens of being the eldest child, after his father is severely injured in a construction accident.  At an early age, he and his cousin and younger brother take odd jobs to keep their families from starving. The jobs include summer migrant work, selling newspapers, and bootlegging. Competitive and athletic, Francis' passion is playing baseball, and a scout offers him a contract, but withdraws it when Francis is injured in a factory. With nowhere to turn, Francis enlists in the Navy and gets caught in the Japanese surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. The second half of the novel recounts his role on a destroyer fighting on islands in the Pacific.

Heavily researched by Hempson, the protagonist’s experiences are based on World War II sailors’ actual accounts and personal

narratives. The YA book also includes a glossary of Navy jargon, resources for those interested in pursuing more information, an artist’s map of WWII battles, and photos from Francis’s archives.