I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 (I Survived Series #1)

by Lauren Tarshis

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

The first installment of the terrifyingly real series for young readers, this is the story of two young passengers who pool their resourcefulness to survive the sinking of the Titanic.

The most terrifying events in history are brought vividly to life in this New York Times bestselling series! 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 York Times bestselling series. Readers will be transported by stories of amazing kids and how they survived!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545362689
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	10/01/2011
Series:	I Survived Series
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	96,225
Lexile:	590L (what's this?)
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Lauren Tarshis's New York Times bestselling I Survived series tells stories of young people and their resilience and strength in the midst of unimaginable disasters and times of turmoil. Lauren has brought her signature warmth and exhaustive research to topics such as the battle of D-Day, the American Revolution, Hurricane Katrina, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and other world events. She lives in Connecticut with her family, and can be found online at laurentarshis.com.

Read an Excerpt

The ship lurched. “We're going down!” a man screamed. George closed his eyes. He told himself that he was really home with on his farm. That he was really safe under his quilts, with Phoebe snoring across their little room. Slowly George opened his eyes. No. He was wide awake. And there was nowhere for George to go but into the freezing water.

Editorial Reviews

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 suite-until 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 passengers-an Italian immigrant and his son-and 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)

Kirkus Reviews