Angeliki and the Shipwreck

Angeliki and the Shipwreck is the first installment in The Witness Series by Josh Hardin, a new collection of middle grade historical fiction that places young characters inside Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments. In this book, readers join Angeliki, a fourteen-year-old girl traveling as a fellow passenger on the ship carrying the Apostle Paul to Rome.

When hurricane-force winds threaten to destroy the ship and everyone on it, Angeliki must decide whether to surrender to her panic or to trust the unwavering faith of a chained prisoner named Paul. Faithful to the biblical account in Acts 27, this gripping adventure invites readers to experience Scripture as living history.

Written at a fourth to sixth grade reading level but rich in emotional depth and mature themes, this book is an ideal choice for reluctant or struggling readers in grades 7–11 who find longer or more complex books frustrating. Fast-paced and full of tension, with energetic black and white illustrations throughout, Angeliki and the Shipwreck will keep readers turning pages, even those who already know how the story ends from Acts 27.