The Germans had attacked their island and crashed the oil and water tanks with torpedoes. Philip's mom became frightened. She began to plan to get out of the island. She thought that she should go back to Virginia to be safe. Philip's parents decided that Philip and his mother would sail on a Cruise Ship to a Miami. They got as far as Panama when German torpedo sunk their ship.
When Philip and his mom where thrown into the water, they got separated. Philip was hit on the head, and when he woke up he was a drift at sea on a raft with a black crewman and striped cat. The black guy's name was Timothy. He knew a lot about staying alive in the Caribbean Sea. They had some problems with sun, little water, and sharks, but they were able to stay alive until they reached an island. Philip eventually lost his sight from injuries that happened when he was thrown from a ship. Shortly after they reached an island, Philip became blind, and this made survival even more difficult. Timothy showed lots of different styles to survive. He showed Philip how to fish, get fruits from sea, and get coconuts from palm.
Timothy also showed to Philip how to tie a hook and catch fish. During their struggle to survive, Timothy and Philip become really close friends Timothy was a guy that kept Philip alive, at the end of book a huge hurricane comes to the island. Timothy dies trying to keep Philip alive. Philip uses what Timothy taught him to stay alive and get rescued. When Americans rescued him he goes to the hospital and has 3 operations on his eyes. Philip is reunited with his parents and is able to see again. He and his mom decide to stays in the Caribbean Sea. Philip likes to spend time with older native black people because they remind him of timothy. Someday Philip plans to visit that island again. It was an important place in his life where he learned many things.
I recommend this book because it has a lot of adventure in the Ocean an island. It also shows that a kid can learn how to survive in difficult times, it also well written and easy to read.
