---
product_id: 1693928
title: "Shipwrecked!: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy – A Biography About Courage When Returning Home Meant Death for Children (Ages 8-12)"
price: "R633"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1693928-shipwrecked-the-true-adventures-of-a-japanese-boy-a-biography
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# Epic sea survival story Educational & culturally rich True historical biography Shipwrecked!: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy – A Biography About Courage When Returning Home Meant Death for Children (Ages 8-12)

**Price:** R633
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🌟 Unlock the untold adventure of courage and culture—don’t miss the story every young leader needs!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Shipwrecked!: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy – A Biography About Courage When Returning Home Meant Death for Children (Ages 8-12)
- **How much does it cost?** R633 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1693928-shipwrecked-the-true-adventures-of-a-japanese-boy-a-biography)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
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## Key Features

- • **Perfect for Young Minds:** Crafted for ages 8-12, this biography blends adventure with cultural education, sparking curiosity and empathy.
- • **Award-Winning Readability:** Highly rated by parents and educators for engaging narrative that makes history accessible and exciting.
- • **Limited Edition Used Copy:** Grab this good condition used book now—because stories this powerful don’t stay on shelves forever.
- • **Authentic Courage Unveiled:** Dive into the real-life bravery of Manjiro, a Japanese boy whose survival against all odds inspires resilience.
- • **Immersive Historical Journey:** Experience 19th-century Japan and America through vivid storytelling and rare black-and-white illustrations.

## Overview

Shipwrecked! is a compelling biography for children aged 8-12 that chronicles the extraordinary life of Manjiro, a Japanese boy who survived a harrowing sea ordeal and bridged two cultures. Featuring authentic historical context, vivid illustrations, and a narrative that inspires bravery and cultural understanding, this used book in good condition is a must-have for young readers eager to explore history beyond textbooks.

## Description

Shipwrecked!: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy – A Biography About Courage When Returning Home Meant Death for Children (Ages 8-12) [Blumberg, Rhoda] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Shipwrecked!: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy – A Biography About Courage When Returning Home Meant Death for Children (Ages 8-12)

Review: Manjiro-The Brave Japanese Boy - Shipwrecked is an inspiring story about a a Japanese boy named Majiro . The book starts out with his dad passing away when he was only 9 years old. The burden of caring for his family is laid on him. That means taking care of his mother, 3 younger brothers ,3 younger sisters,and one older brother who is to weak to care for the family. Every morning little Ma giro sets off to see his fishermen group till one day they went on a fishing trip. They did not catch anything till there 3rd day . The third day they went fishing day and night. That night they had to fight a storm for a few days. The storm thankfully provided icicles from their clothes and hair that provided fresh water for them to drink. When the storm was over they found themselves drifting toward an island. They had to devise a plan quickly, because their raft was about to be smashed and there were sharp icy rocks that surrounded the whole island. They threw their bodies into the water and swam to the island. They found themselves in a large enough cave for the entire fishing group. The cave was dark and cold , but at least they had a place to stay. The only thing they ate was cold raw bird meat and clams that were stuck to the sharp rocks. A few weeks later there was a group of American Whalers that came by the island. They saw the fishing group and took them onto there ship. The whalers would use the whales blubber as oil. The Americans were very nice to the fishing group, but the fishing group could not go back to Japan. The law of Japan was once out of the country there's no coming back or you will be killed. So the fishing group stuck with the Americans when they went to USA. Majuro was fostered by a captain who just got married and owned a farm. Majuro is put in a school for navigating ships with 30 other children. Majiro loves America, but he thinks it is odd and exciting with all the new traditions. A few years later of being in America Mijiro and 3 other of his friends take the risk of going back to Japan. They buy a whale boat and set sail to Japan. Once they get there they don't get a friendly greeting. There are multiple Japanese who arrest Majuro and his friends. They were in jail for 7 months until they got news from the empire to meet them. The empire ended up loving them and finding them guiltless of crime. Once they got back the Japanese did not care about the emperors note that they were guiltless. The Japanese threw Mjiro and his friends back in to jail for several weeks until they were freed. Then 2 of Majiros friends found their birthplace/home in a pile of rubble. Somebody also told them their parents had died. The 2 boys were devastated, but thankfully their aunt was willing to take them in to her home. Then Majiro set off to find his family with a scared heart thinking maybe his family was also gone. He traveled a couple days until he got to his home. Thankfully he found his entire family safe and happy. Sadly he could only be with his family for 3 days and then he would have to leave. It was one of Japan's rules. After he visited his family, for the rest of his life Manjiro helped shape America and Japan to make peace with one another. Manjiro sadly died at the age of 71. Everyone loved Majiro the brave Japanese boy. Hope you enjoy the book-Hannah Rich (12 year's old)
Review: Fascinating...even for young children! - My girls, 6 and 8, couldn't wait to continue reading this book each day. It is so much more than a biography and is very readable. Besides an indepth look at the life and times of Manjiro, AKA John Mung, it is a wealth of information about Japan, whaling, and culture (and cultural change) without a textbook feel. I agree that it should be made into a movie (if it hasn't and I just don't know about it). This book is infused with many black and white photographs, paintings, prints, and drawings -- including sketches by John Mung. If using this in a classroom or homeschool environment, this is a great jumping-off point toward such varied subjects as Moby Dick and whaling, samurai, Commodore Perry, ships, Japanese history and culture, Hawaii, and even the California Gold Rush. This was riveting and gives the reader (even young ones!) a deeper understanding of Japan and the times surrounding Manjiro/John Mung's life. Pair this up with How to Be a Samurai Warrior (How to Be) ; You Wouldn't Want to Sail on a 19th Century Whaling Ship!: Grisly Tasks You'd Rather Not Do (You Wouldn't Want to...) ; Step Into... Ancient Japan (The Step Into Series) ; Exploration into Japan (Exploration Into) ; or Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun EDIT 1/19/2011 If you want to read more...there is a new (2010) historical fiction book called Heart of a Samurai Heart of a Samurai -- about the adventures of Manjiro Nakahama. It has received favorable reviews and we plan to read it soon!

## Features

- Used Book in Good Condition

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,201,228 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #372 in Children's Boats & Ships Books (Books) #861 in Children's Asia Books #17,866 in Children's Action & Adventure Books (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 75 Reviews |

## Images

![Shipwrecked!: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy – A Biography About Courage When Returning Home Meant Death for Children (Ages 8-12) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51uZMypnkyL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Manjiro-The Brave Japanese Boy
*by B***H on December 16, 2020*

Shipwrecked is an inspiring story about a a Japanese boy named Majiro . The book starts out with his dad passing away when he was only 9 years old. The burden of caring for his family is laid on him. That means taking care of his mother, 3 younger brothers ,3 younger sisters,and one older brother who is to weak to care for the family. Every morning little Ma giro sets off to see his fishermen group till one day they went on a fishing trip. They did not catch anything till there 3rd day . The third day they went fishing day and night. That night they had to fight a storm for a few days. The storm thankfully provided icicles from their clothes and hair that provided fresh water for them to drink. When the storm was over they found themselves drifting toward an island. They had to devise a plan quickly, because their raft was about to be smashed and there were sharp icy rocks that surrounded the whole island. They threw their bodies into the water and swam to the island. They found themselves in a large enough cave for the entire fishing group. The cave was dark and cold , but at least they had a place to stay. The only thing they ate was cold raw bird meat and clams that were stuck to the sharp rocks. A few weeks later there was a group of American Whalers that came by the island. They saw the fishing group and took them onto there ship. The whalers would use the whales blubber as oil. The Americans were very nice to the fishing group, but the fishing group could not go back to Japan. The law of Japan was once out of the country there's no coming back or you will be killed. So the fishing group stuck with the Americans when they went to USA. Majuro was fostered by a captain who just got married and owned a farm. Majuro is put in a school for navigating ships with 30 other children. Majiro loves America, but he thinks it is odd and exciting with all the new traditions. A few years later of being in America Mijiro and 3 other of his friends take the risk of going back to Japan. They buy a whale boat and set sail to Japan. Once they get there they don't get a friendly greeting. There are multiple Japanese who arrest Majuro and his friends. They were in jail for 7 months until they got news from the empire to meet them. The empire ended up loving them and finding them guiltless of crime. Once they got back the Japanese did not care about the emperors note that they were guiltless. The Japanese threw Mjiro and his friends back in to jail for several weeks until they were freed. Then 2 of Majiros friends found their birthplace/home in a pile of rubble. Somebody also told them their parents had died. The 2 boys were devastated, but thankfully their aunt was willing to take them in to her home. Then Majiro set off to find his family with a scared heart thinking maybe his family was also gone. He traveled a couple days until he got to his home. Thankfully he found his entire family safe and happy. Sadly he could only be with his family for 3 days and then he would have to leave. It was one of Japan's rules. After he visited his family, for the rest of his life Manjiro helped shape America and Japan to make peace with one another. Manjiro sadly died at the age of 71. Everyone loved Majiro the brave Japanese boy. Hope you enjoy the book-Hannah Rich (12 year's old)

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fascinating...even for young children!
*by H***R on June 10, 2007*

My girls, 6 and 8, couldn't wait to continue reading this book each day. It is so much more than a biography and is very readable. Besides an indepth look at the life and times of Manjiro, AKA John Mung, it is a wealth of information about Japan, whaling, and culture (and cultural change) without a textbook feel. I agree that it should be made into a movie (if it hasn't and I just don't know about it). This book is infused with many black and white photographs, paintings, prints, and drawings -- including sketches by John Mung. If using this in a classroom or homeschool environment, this is a great jumping-off point toward such varied subjects as Moby Dick and whaling, samurai, Commodore Perry, ships, Japanese history and culture, Hawaii, and even the California Gold Rush. This was riveting and gives the reader (even young ones!) a deeper understanding of Japan and the times surrounding Manjiro/John Mung's life. Pair this up with How to Be a Samurai Warrior (How to Be) ; You Wouldn't Want to Sail on a 19th Century Whaling Ship!: Grisly Tasks You'd Rather Not Do (You Wouldn't Want to...) ; Step Into... Ancient Japan (The Step Into Series) ; Exploration into Japan (Exploration Into) ; or Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun EDIT 1/19/2011 If you want to read more...there is a new (2010) historical fiction book called Heart of a Samurai Heart of a Samurai -- about the adventures of Manjiro Nakahama. It has received favorable reviews and we plan to read it soon!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Riveting biography, extensively researched
*by B***. on October 7, 2017*

Little Manjiro was working as a fisherman in early 19th century Japan when he and the four men he worked with were caught in a storm and marooned on a deserted island outside of Japan's realm. At the time, Japan was a closed country. No foreigners were allowed in and no Japanese citizens were allowed out. If you left and tried to return, the punishment was death. After many months on the small island, Manjiro and his crewmates were rescued by an American whaling vessel. Manjiro quickly picked up English and became a member of the American vessel, Captain Whitfield taking him under his wing. When the ship landed in Hawaii, Manjiro's fellow Japanese crewmen were left there, but he decided to sail on with Captain Whitfield. Adopting the more easily pronounced name John Mung, Manjiro spent a few years in school under Whitfield's care after sailing to Massachusetts. Eventually, after education and further experience as a sailor and gold miner, Manjiro decided to risk returning to Japan to see how his family faired. After much deliberation on the parts of Japanese officials but thanks in part to his insights on outside cultures, especially American, Manjiro was eventually allowed to return home to visit his mother. It turned out that Manjiro returned home just in time to serve as an adviser to the emperor when Commadore Perry sailed into port and demanded that trade lines be opened. A portion of Perry's success and Japan's opening of doors are thanks to Manjiro's persuasion. Manjiro went on to be a highly respected educator in several arenas. There are several fictional books based on Manjiro's story, such as HEART OF A SAMURAI by Preus. This is one of the few biographies of this amazing man for young adults and middle grades. Blumberg does a great job of presenting the story in a riveting way, but it is also incredibly obvious she's done a huge amount of research. I appreciated especially all the illustrations included that were done by Manjiro himself or done by someone he dictated to. There's also a very interesting look at Japan during a very pivotal period, that again feels very deeply researched, and of course, a good dose of history of whaling and sailing of the time period. A great book if you're looking for a multicultural biography and/or book for classes studying 19th century world history. Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. The details on whaling are kept to a minimum. It is mentioned that one of Manjiro's fellow fishermen is injured when they are marooned, but no details are given. No other violence.

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-02-27*