Escaping Titanic

May 1, 2012

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

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2012
Grades 2-4 If you've been following the droves of recent Titanic releases, you know the ingredients to a good telling: a sense of awe, technical background on the ship, effective relaying of the terror, and a conclusion lending a historical perspective. This book, based on the true survival tale of 12-year-old Ruth Becker, hits all of those points, and although it isn't the first resource you should reach for, it would make a good second. Heinzen's sharp-edged, emotive illustrations are heavy on the wood tones while in the cabins and heavy on blue tones once the action moves to the deck. What makes the art work so well are the slightly canted angles, which create a seasick sensation. The splintering of the boat into two halves is downright scary, as are the dots representing people left floating in the icy waters. This is a biographical narrative first and foremost, so don't expect strong research value. But although the back matter is cursory, the afterword about Becker's death, in 1990, is powerful indeed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2013
The horrific experience of the [cf2]Titanic[cf1] sinking is recounted from the point of view of a real survivor, Ruth Becker, who was twelve at the time (explained in the afterword). Murky digital illustrations reminiscent of Disney animation are caricaturish, with wide-eyed, fearful-looking family members desperate to stay together during the dramatic rescue. A necessary urgent tone is awkwardly incorporated into the narrative. Timeline.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)