Graphic Novel in Brief: I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 Written by Lauren Tarshis, Art by Haus Studio
Publishing Information:
Graphix; Illustrated Edition (February 4th, 2020). Dimensions measure 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches.
Awards Won:
None found.
Story or Concept Theme:
A young boy survives the sinking of the Titanic.
Target Audience/Age:
8-12 years; grades 3-7. The way that the main character is developed seems like it would better suit the younger end of this range; it might appeal to older readers based on the idea that graphic novels appeal to reluctant readers.
Narrative Plot:
Beginning: George and his sister Phoebe are sailing with their aunt on the Titanic. He loves to explore, but frequently gets into trouble for doing so. Middle: George decides to explore the baggage hold, and remembers other adventures he's had in the past. While he's exploring, the Titanic begins to sink. When he returns to his cabin, he realizes that Phoebe's gone to look for him. End: George and his aunt find Phoebe, but there's no room for George on the lifeboats. He is able to survive the sinking with the help of an Italian man, and both are rescued by another boat, where George is reunited with his family.
Coherence/relation between text, pictures, and design:
The art in this book did a great job of reminding readers of the time period of this book, but there are moments where it's clear that this is an adapted prose novel (when George says "I was scared" rather than showing his fear through the illustrations).
Storytelling techniques used:
The use of foreshadowing in this story is fantastic - we know that the Titanic is going to sink, and the reminders that passengers had the utmost faith in it increased the tension.
Brief assessment of the book's quality:
I thought that this book was good - it did a good job of setting the scene, developing George's character, maintaining tension, and presenting the story of the Titanic in an engaging way.
Brief assessment of potential use of book with young readers, if applicable:
I would promote this alongside any other work of historical fiction. Because graphic novels are extremely popular, I would also use it to promote nonfiction books about the Titanic.
Brief assessment of the book's appeal to potential readers:
This book is appealing for a lot of reasons - it's a graphic novel from a popular series about exciting topics, with an education value that appeals to caregivers and educators. I certainly see this collection getting traction at my library, and because of its easily accessible writing style and illustrations, I understand why.