The sinking of the Titanic, 1912

George, his sister, and their wealthy aunt sail from England on the ill-fated Titanic. When tragedy strikes, George is separated from his sister and aunt, but miraculously all survive the disaster. Though the events are contrived, reluctant readers may be drawn to this fast-paced book with short, easy-to-read chapters. Shadowy black-and-white illustrations add to the text. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Returning from England with his aunt and little sister, ten-year-old George Calder explores the Titanic and revels in the luxury of their first-class suiteuntil the night the ship hits an iceberg and his explorations and determination save their lives. In this first of a new adventure series aimed at reluctant readers, Tarshis has woven plenty of concrete, factual information into her narrative. In an attention-grabbing opening scene the sinking ship lurches and George falls and loses consciousness. Backing up 19 hours, the author describes George's last day aboard ship, using short paragraphs with plenty of dialogue. George recalls earlier escapades: climbing into the crow's nest, meeting third-class passengersan Italian immigrant and his sonand sliding down the banister of the grand staircase. On the final night, looking for a mummy in the baggage room, he encounters a thief. Both immigrant and thief play roles in his survival. The plot involves too many convenient coincidences, but the fast pace and intrinsically fascinating disaster story will keep readers turning the pages to the unexpectedly sentimental ending. (author's note, additional facts) (Historical fiction. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.