Product Description

Written from the point of view of a young passenger aboard the ill-fated Titanic, this title combines an award-winning series with the "disaster of the century".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29373 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 197 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-The hopes and dreams of a young girl are beautifully conveyed through White's engaging narrative. Orphaned Margaret Ann looks forward to the day when she will have enough money to leave London to be reunited with her brother in America. She is given that opportunity when she becomes the companion to Mrs. Carstairs, a wealthy American returning to the States. Their voyage aboard the Titanic is a thrilling experience for Margaret until disaster strikes. Readers will be drawn to this 13-year-old's humble, friendly disposition. Friendship, courage, and fortitude are themes that resonate throughout the novel, contributing to its structural integrity. The story's historical significance is evident in Margaret's descriptions of the liner, the famous people she encounters, and the events leading up to the tragedy. A strong female protagonist and a flowing, descriptive narrative result in a powerful book about human frailty and courage in the face of adversity. Poignant scenes of familial love and friendship are believable, and Margaret's spiritual and emotional growth are evident by the course her life takes after the trauma. Archival photos and a time line bring the reality of the situation to light. A heartwarming story with wide appeal.
Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library,
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 3^-6. Like Osborne's Standing in the Light, reviewed above, this novel is part of the Dear America series. It features orphan Margaret Brady, who is hired as a companion to wealthy American Mrs. Frederick Carstairs, traveling on the maiden voyage of the R. M. S. Titanic in 1912. For Margaret, this is an opportunity to join her older brother, William, in Boston. By now everyone in America knows the Titanic story backwards and forwards, and White's narrative provides no new insights. Margaret, like her celluloid twin Rose, passes up a seat in a life raft to search the lower decks for her doomed friend Robert, a ship's steward. Unlike Rose, Margaret's behavior with Robert remains age appropriate. Although perhaps not a first choice, this will be popular with the movie's young fans and will fill a need in most libraries. Appended with a historical note, period photos, and a time line. Kay Weisman

Customer Reviews

The opportunity of her life turns into a nightmare.
Thirteen-year-old Margaret, the fictional passenger that is the "writer" of the "diary" that makes up this book, shouldn't have even been on the Titanic. By a twist of fate that she interprets as good fortune, the orphan, who has been living at an orphanage since her mother died and her brother decided he couldn't care for her properly, gets a job with a wealthy American woman, Mrs. Carstairs. The job is fairly simple: Margaret just has to keep Mrs. Carstairs company during her return voyage to New York, and it comes with a ticket to America. Margaret takes the job eagerly: her brother now is living and working in America, able to support her, and has been saving up for a ticket for her for awhile. Now she can join him immediatley. But Mrs. Carstairs is returning to America on the Titanic. And we all know that voyage is doomed to end of tragedy. So Margaret unknowingly heads off into a disaster. We see through her eyes how the luxuries of first class would appear to a child who lived in poverty all of her life. And of course, the disaster plays a large role in the story as well. I highly reccomend this to fans of the Dear America series, historical fiction, and of course, the Titanic!

A wonderful, sweetly tragic, romantic book!
This was a wonderful book! It is the story of Margret Ann Brady. Margret is a thirteen year old who has lived a very tragic life. Her parents died when she was very young. She and her brother lived in the damp streets of London for nearly two years. They resorted to stealing and trying to intrest people in things that they found. Margret became very sick. Her brother convinces her to go to an orphanage. There, she is welcomed by Sister Cathriene. After years there, she is offered to go as a maid to a rich lady who wishes for a maid because her husband cannot go with her. Margret experinces many customs. She is befriended by Robert, a cabin steward. As she expieriences the sinking, all who read it will experience the true tragity of the Titanic. A book that those who belive the movie is right about everything should read.

This book is a great adventure story.
In the book there's Margaret, William, Sister Cathrine, Robert, and Captain Edward Smith. When Margaret and William's parents died William was left with him and his sister to look after. When it got to hard for William to look after two people he left his sister at a orphange where he said he would come back for her.

When Margaret Ann Brady grew up, she was about 14 1/2. She got to go on a ship with a rich, fancy lady. She thought she was going to be a maid instead of a passenger on the Titanic. Sister Katherine couldn't believe it herself. But, finally after all that thinking, she accepted the invitation. When Margaret gave their tickets to the stewered he was a good looking boy, named Robert, she looked up to him.

In the follwing days that occured, Margaret and Robert grew close, while her and the lady grew apart. While the Titanic went farther west, the climate was getting colder and the crew knew what that meant icebergs at night. They were right. The Titanic sank at 11:48 p.m. April 14, 1912. Only 700 people survived, and left many others freeze in the deep blue Atlantic Sea.

I liked this book and I certainly would recommend it, but the part I didn't like was one all those people died.