Scott Dawson, illus.
Summary (from Goodreads):
The most terrifying events in history are brought vividly to life in this new fictional series! In book 1, ten-year-old George is trapped on the Titanic -- how will he survive?
Ten-year-old George Calder can't believe his luck -- he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. The ship is full of exciting places to explore, but when George ventures into the first class storage cabin, a terrible boom shakes the entire boat. Suddenly, water is everywhere, and George's life changes forever.
Lauren Tarshis brings history's most exciting and terrifying events to life in this new fictional series. Readers will be transported by stories of amazing kids and how they survived!
My Review:
Titanic has been a fascination of mine for years; Dr. Robert Ballard had only just found the wreck when I learned about the ship in the late 1980s or early 1990s, and then the 1997 film reignited my excitement for Titanic lore. I was initially a bit leery of this book, because I was afraid that the story of the doomed liner would trivialize the tragedy, or that it would disrespect the memories of the over 1,500 people who lost their lives. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this novel. The main character, George, is mostly believable as a protagonist, and I liked the fact that he came to the Titanic storyline as a somewhat-troubled youth, having lost his mother several years before sailing. George's behaviors and the shenanigans he gets into, both at home and aboard ship, are realistic for a ten-year-old who is struggling to reconcile himself to a life without his mother. The story is accessible as is, but for students who lack the schema to understand the setting of the Titanic, numerous visual media exist to provide that background and enhance the story of George and his family. The tension created by the pacing of the story was fairly intense, and even caused me to wonder if the book was going to end sadly; I laughed at myself when I remembered that the title said, "I Survived." This book is apparently the first I Survived book, and if they are all as well crafted as this one, I'll be interested to read more in the series.
Read: February 2022
