Ghosts of the Pacific

By Philip Roy

Ghosts of the Pacific, the fourth volume in the best-selling Submarine Outlaw series, begins with Alfred and his crew of Seaweed the seagull and Hollie the dog undertaking a harrowing journey through the icy gauntlet of the Northwest Passage on the way to the South Pacific. Alfred wants to see those dark places of the earth where horrendous events have taken place. He sets his sights on exotic Micronesia — a beautiful place, but home to the nuclear testing of Bikini Lagoon; the Suicide Cliffs of Saipan; the airfields of Tinian, where the Enola Gay lifted off with the atomic bomb; and the Marshall Islands, which may conceal secrets to the mystery of Amelia Earhart's final days. Yet even with these past tragedies in mind, Alfred discovers that the world is facing an even greater threat today. As they sail into the hot, hazy world of the Pacific, they encounter the ruthless killing practices of shrimp trawlers and an island of plastic the size of Texas. Along the way, Alfred, Hollie and Seaweed befriend the crew of an environmental protection ship, who help to inspire him to take on a new goal: to protect the oceans of the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ronsdale Press
• Release date: Sep 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781553801627

Reviews for Ghosts of the Pacific

[isabella2-11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've read the entire Submarine Outlaw series with my children, and Ghosts of the Pacific, the fourth novel in the series, just might be our favourite. But it's hard to say, and that's because Roy's fifth book in the series (Outlaw in India) is a real contender, too. So what makes this novel so special? Well, for one thing, Philip Roy's love for animals and his concern for the environment is palpable. My kids (and I) really identify with this. And it's also filled with adventure. And history, too, lots of fascinating details about World War II. Then Roy also created this terrific character named Cinnamon, who is a trapeze artist. Cinnamon is Al's age, and she's part of a travelling (floating!) circus. My girls loved how strong and resilient Cinnamon was as a character. And then, how many world explorers get to have face-to-face encounters with polar bears, and also spend time with Inuits? (Al travels to the South Pacific vis-a-vis the Northwest Passage, so that's a really interesting part of the book, too!) This book has rightfully been nominated for the Hackamatack Award in Atlantic Canada. (Alright, it probably is my favourite in the series--but again, it's hard to say!)

[manuscript_30 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books in the series. Loved the environmental themes--and Al is really growing as a character, too.