Duel of the Ironclads: The Monitor vs. the Virginia [Hardcover]

Patrick O'Brien (Author)

Book Description

On March 9, 1862, two unusual-looking iron-clad warships faced each other inbattle and changed naval warfare forever. When the American Civil War began, warships were still made of wood. Early in the war the Southern Confederates salvaged the sunken Union ship Merrimack, built an iron structure on the deck, and renamed her the CSS Virginia. When they were finished she was a brand new kind of warship-an ironclad. The Northern Union had also been secretly racing to build their own ironclad, the USS Monitor. The two ships were born almost simultaneously and met just one day after the unstoppable Virginia single-handedly destroyed two of the Union's mightiest wooden warships. By the time their historic showdown was through, the age of wooden warships was shattered forever.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-The author/illustrator of The Hindenburg (Holt, 2000) and The Great Ships (Walker, 2001) spins a tale for young people of dueling military machines. The Monitor and the Virginia got a single-page treatment in The Great Ships; here O'Brien explicates the technological and political circumstances that brought these ironclads on the scene and changed the course of naval history. His succinct text should hold the attention of readers with an interest in naval history. The historical sections drag a bit, but the author cleverly switches back and forth between the political histories of these vessels and their more-fascinating technical aspects. A varying layout, offering several drawings and diagrams clearly linked to small sections of text as well as broader panoramic scenes accompanied by narrative text, allows readers to browse. Sadly, the design is cramped in places, and though obviously modeled after the layout in The Hindenburg, lacks the clarity and dramatic impact of that title. Readers not drawn to this subject matter will likely pass on this title, and those interested in follow-up material are on their own, as there's no bibliography. Still, this is a solid work for readers with a special interest.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 2-6. O'Brien, who shared his enthusiasm for ships--and his skill at painting them--in The Great Ships (2001), now captures readers with the story of the famous sea battle that brought the age of sail to an end. The U.S. Navy built the Merrimac as a sailing ship, but in 1861 partially burned and sank it rather than leave it for the Confederates, who took control of the Portsmouth, Virginia, shipyard. The rebels raised the hull of the Merrimac and rebuilt it as an ironclad vessel named the Virginia. Meanwhile, the Union navy built its own armored ship, the Monitor, which steamed into Hampton Roads and engaged the Virginia in the first combat between two ironclads. The outcome of the battle was less important than the fact that the ironclad vessels had shown wooden ships to be vulnerable, and the world's navies, obsolete. Well composed and colored by drama, the numerous watercolor and gouache paintings are an integral part of the presentation. The clearly written text and vivid illustrations work together well to explain the design and construction of the Monitor and the Virginia as well as their eventful stories. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers; Illustrated. edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802788424
• ISBN-13: 978-0802788429
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #843,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Ironclad Info, May 8, 2011

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Ramm "DVD-OCD" (B.C., Canada) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Duel of the Ironclads: The Monitor vs. the Virginia (Paperback)

This is one of several slim volumes devoted to the history of the earliest American iron-clad warships, the Monitor and the Merrimack/Virginia. The book is full of interesting information on all aspects of the development of both the Northern & Confederate vessels as well as the famous sea battle at Hampton Roads. The illustrations are particularly nice featuring rare archival photos, period engravings, cut-a-way drawings of the iron clads, and specially commissioned paintings that re-create the excitment of the pivotal sea battle. Highly recommended for those interested in these unusual fighting ships.

5.0 out of 5 stars Duel of the Ironclads, February 19, 2011

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She who must be obeyed - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duel of the Ironclads: The Monitor vs. the Virginia (Paperback)

I came across this book purely by accident. My 6 year old son has an interest in how things work or anything with an engine. This book sounded interesting enough for him, so I thought I would take a chance in purchasing it. Little did I know what a great book this turned out to be. He absolutely loves this book. The illustrations are fantastic and have great detail. The historical facts are interesting and is a great read for both child as well as adult. When they talk about Abraham Lincoln at school, he wonders why they do not also mention the Ironclads. He reads this book over and over again We will definitly purchase more books from this author in the future.