Titanic

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7 Sloan begins with the background of the Titanic, its construction, and the contemporary world of the luxury liner. He then covers the tragedy and rescue attempts, the various investigations, and the regulations that resulted. He also traces the recent efforts to locate and salvage the ship. The section about contemporary exploration is so current that, with the continuing exploration, it is in danger of being outdated soon, causing the book to become prematurely dated. However, the information is thorough, and the story is one which should attract even the most reluctant readers. Walter Lord's A Night to Remember (Bantam, 1955) presents a more personal account of the individuals who lost their lives, but Sloan's Titanic is an interesting account of a story that holds much fascination for young readers. The numerous reproductions and diagrams are of high quality and informative, and an appendix of ``Titanic Trivia'' provides some additional and more obscure facts. This fascinating account of a popular topic should bring the information to a new audience. Ellen S. Wilcox, Cinnaminson Middle School, N.J.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8--Sloan does a good job of describing the physical features of the ship as well as the tragedy as it unfolded. He also discusses the causes of the accident, why the loss of life was so high, the blatant discrimination against the third-class passengers, and the inquiries that followed the disaster. Several chapters focus on the attempts of various explorers, including Robert D. Ballard, to find and explore the wreckage. A final chapter shows how fascination with this story has influenced the creation of several movie and stage productions. The clearly written text incorporates some discoveries made since the 1988 edition (Watts) was published and provides a mostly new selection of contemporary and vintage full-page, black-and-white photos and reproductions. The prologue discusses the number of Academy Awards the film Titanic received in 1998. Updated "Titanic Trivia" and lists for further reading conclude the volume. With current interest as it is, this unique blend of oceanic and cinematographic history will be a useful purchase.--Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS