The Rainbow Warrior was the flag ship of the Greenpeace movement, when it was sunk by agents of the French Foreign Intelligence, while anchored in Auckland harbour, on the 10th of July 1985. In this story thirteen-year-old Rowan Webb gets herself a French penpal and unwittingly becomes involved in an event that not only shocks a nation, but the whole world.
This book is also an insight into life of teenagers in the 1980's.
It was this aspect that I enjoyed reading about as I could make connections to having a paper round and going to the pictures etc. How neat it felt to be all grown up earning and spending your own money (albeit a pittance) at the age of 12 - 13. An enjoyable read that will encourage you to look up Green Peace and the Rainbow Warrior. Relevant still today as in September 2015 one of the French agents, Alain Marfat, came to New Zealand to apologise for his involvement in the terrorist act. ( )

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.

This book really hooks the reader in at the start. It makes you want to read further to find out what happens. It is about the Greenpeace ship being sunk by some French spies. It is suitable Intermediate age readers.