A brief, dramatic account of the Hindenburg disaster told through the POV of a then fourteen-year-old cabin boy and now last suriving crewmember. A good introduction to the story. ( )

Based on a true story, fourteen year old boy Werner Franz works as a cabin boy aboard the German zeppelin, the Hindenburg, and resourcefully survives its fatal crash. ( )

This is wonderful story of Werner Franz, the youngest crew member of The Hindenburg. It tells the story of the world's first flying hotel, giving perspective to the technology of the 1930's. The illustrations are a beautiful addition to the story of a young man's survival of a tragic accident. What a great way to look at a historical event! ( )

In Surviving the Hindenburg, Larry Verstraete has the perfect combination – a young protagonist and a history-making event – the horrific fire aboard the Hindenburg.

Fourteen-year-old Werner Franz was a German cabin boy aboard the Hindenburg on May 6, 1937, when it burned and crashed in Lakehurst, NJ. As the title indicates, Werner was one of the 62 survivors. Surviving the Hindenburg is his story.

This is a compelling account using easily-read, bold- font text opposite full-page or double-spread oil paintings. Scenes of the blimp's inner gangways add understanding of the ship’s inner workings, while views from the ground give context to the blimp’s immense size. The fiery scenes are powerfully gripping.

It appears that the quoted dialogue is taken from verifiable sources,

“After a while, it came to me,” he said.“I lost my nerve. I cried and wailed like a baby. I didn’t know what to do.”
Some men approached Werner.They thought he was a visitor, there to watch the landing.
“They shook me to my senses,” Werner said. ‘Get a hold of yourself and try to help someone,’ they told me. But there was no one left to help.”
In German, Wener tried to tell them who he was. “Ich bin der cabin-boy vom Hindenburg!” he said over and over,"

however, no source notes are included in this otherwise stellar historical account. (A note in the Acknowledgements does cite Hindenburg authority, Patrick Russell, for ensuring accuracy)

A foreword and afterword offer a broader look at the disaster, including the interesting note that Werner Franz is the “last surviving member of the Hindenburg crew.”

more @ http://www.shelf-employed.blogspot.com/2012/03/surviving-hindenburg-review.html ( )