Titanic, Book 3

Gr 5–8—The fateful moment has arrived, disaster has struck, and the Titanic is sinking in the dramatic conclusion (Scholastic, 2011) to Gordon Korman's trilogy. The four friends who were brought together by circumstances on the ship now are fighting for survival along with the over 2,000 passengers and crew. They are also caught up in their own struggles as the ship flounders. Sophie's suffragist mother refuses to take a space on a lifeboat based on the "women and children first" edict. Juliana's father doesn't want to leave the card room now that he's on a winning streak. Alfie, as a member of the crew, has to help passengers to safety, but is desperately worried about his father who is a fireman below deck keeping the boilers going. Paddy, the Irish stowaway, knows that there aren't enough lifeboats for everyone, but tries to save as many steerage passengers as possible. As the tragic night progresses, the teens make decisions that have momentous consequences for themselves and for the other passengers. Listeners will be thrilled to have Michael Page return as narrator. With deft characterizations and excellent pacing, he guides listeners through the suspense of the shop's final hours. The clarity and skill of his performance drive the fast-paced narrative to its inevitable climax. With so much historical information woven into the narrative of all three audiobooks, listeners will be encouraged to learn more about the tragedy of the Titanic.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL