All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team is a 2020 nonfiction children's book by American author Christina Soontornvat. It describes the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue. The book received positive reviews from critics and was awarded a Newbery Honor and a Sibert Honor in 2021.
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| Author | Christina Soontornvat |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Candlewick Press |
Publication date | October 13, 2020 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 288 |
| Awards | Newbery Honor, Sibert Honor |
| ISBN | 978-1-5362-0945-7 |
| OCLC | 1228486011 |
| Website | soontornvat |
Synopsis
editThe book recounts the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue, in which 12 boys on a soccer team and their coach were rescued after they were trapped in the flooded Tham Luang Nang Non cave.[1] It includes scientific information related to the rescue, including details on caverns and diving, and features photographs and maps of the region.[2]
Background and publication
editSoontornvat was visiting family in northern Thailand when the Tham Luang cave story was first reported.[2] According to Soontornvat, upon returning to the United States, she noticed that media coverage was portraying the situation through a predominantly Western lens and decided to tell the story incorporating a Thai perspective. She returned to Thailand two months after the final rescue to interview the volunteers who helped with the rescue efforts, with her father acting as her translator.[3]
The book was published by Candlewick Press on October 13, 2020.[1] The audiobook version was narrated by Quincy Surasmith.[4]
Reception
editAll Thirteen: The Incredible Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team garnered positive reviews from critics. It received starred reviews from Booklist,[5] The Horn Book Magazine,[6] Kirkus Reviews,[1] Publishers Weekly,[7] and School Library Journal.[2]
Kirkus Reviews praised the storytelling as "masterful" and "expertly crafted".[1] Publishers Weekly noted that "Soontornvat delivers humanizing coverage of a harrowing event, attempting to decenter Western media’s lens with great success."[7] In a review for Booklist, Ronny Khuri wrote that "Soontornvat selects details and measures her pacing with the practiced hand of a skilled storyteller."[5] V. Lynn Christiansen of School Library Journal compared it to "a heart-pounding adventure story."[2] Jonathan Hunt, writing for The Horn Book Magazine, praised the "lucid prose" and wrote that Soontornvat "keeps a tight focus on the unfolding story".[6]
| Year | Accolade | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature | Winner | [8] |
| Newbery Medal | Honor | [9] | |
| Sibert Medal | Honor | [10] | |
| YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction | Finalist | [10] |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "All Thirteen". Kirkus Reviews. August 18, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Christiansen, V. Lynn (September 1, 2020). "All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team". School Library Journal. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ Blank, Gwen (December 1, 2020). "Saving All Thirteen". Trinity University. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ Cole, Sonja (January 28, 2021). "ALA Awards on Audio: 2021 Odyssey and Newbery Winners". AudioFile. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Khuri, Ronny (August 2020). "All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team". Booklist. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ a b Hunt, Jonathan (November 4, 2020). "Review of All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team". The Horn Book Magazine. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ a b "All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team". Publishers Weekly. November 5, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Winners". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ "WHS graduate and author gains two Newbery Honors". Weatherford Democrat. February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ a b Yorio, Kara (January 25, 2021). "'When You Trap a Tiger' Wins Newbery, 'We Are Water Protectors' Earns Caldecott at 2021 YMAs". School Library Journal. Retrieved February 14, 2021.