Escaping Titanic

Gr 1–3—In this picture book, the events of the Titanic are seen through the eyes of 12-year-old Ruth Becker, a girl traveling with her mother and siblings on the ill-fated vessel. Through her, the excitement of those first days aboard is captured as she explores, encountering the other passengers and the majestic surroundings that were the hallmark of the ship. As the night of April 15th wears on, Ruth's confusion and fright turn into despair as she watches, from the safety of a lifeboat, the Titanic sink into the dark, cold Atlantic. The story format is a good introduction to the disaster for young readers and a jumping-off point for further investigation for those interested in more details. The text is solid, though without detailed source notes it is difficult to know what is fictionalized for the story's sake and what is based on the experiences of the real Ruth Becker. The digitally created pictures have the distinctive look of many computer-generated images, occasionally flat and static, but still providing an important visual accompaniment to the story. An author's note at the end offers more information about Becker and her life after surviving the disaster. This is an additional title for those looking to update collections for early elementary readers, where a narrative format can be helpful.—Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA