Titanic - by Jim Pipe (Hardcover)

About the Book

This large-format, fully illustrated, hands-on expedition through the "Titanic" tells the story of the ships tragic end on a cold April night in 1912. The text is written from the viewpoint of a journalist on board for the ships doomed maiden voyage and includes precise reproductions of such period items as tickets, postcards, and newspaper clippings.

Book Synopsis

"The text in the book is quite accessible for the elementary student and yet will appeal to an older audience as well... For use in school and public libraries as well as in personal collections."
-- Resource Links

There is no limit to our appetite for the Titanic. The ship's demise more than 100 years ago still invites curiosity, fascination and conjecture. This is a meticulously reconstructed adventure of the legendary disaster.

Author Jim Pipe assumes the role of one of the many journalists that covered the maiden voyage. He describes the facts: the financiers and builders, the shipyard, the layout and state-of-the-art technology, the passengers, the appointments, staterooms, dining rooms and more, and also the "hidden" spaces used by the lower-class passengers and the crew.... And of course, he conveys the public astonishment at this new "wonder of the world," the biggest ship ever, and unsinkable!

The narrator's imaginary account is combined with period photographs, illustrations, tip-ins, booklets and other ephemera and eyewitness accounts of the sinking, including those by surviving children. He covers the aftermath of the tragedy and includes the reports and inquiries of the official investigation.

The chapters are:

• Birth of the Titanic - with technical details
• The Voyage Ahead - with guide to whales and seabirds
• Boarding the Ship - with gatefold
• Cabins Fit for a King - with "door" flaps
• The Height of Luxury - with meal menu
• Exploring the Ship - with playing cards
• Full Steam Ahead! - with cutaway diagram
• The Wireless Room - with secret message in envelope
• The Iceberg Hits - with passenger diary
• Abandon Ship!
• The Rescue - with 1912 newspaper
• Aftermath - with booklet showing sinking.

From excitement to horror, Titanic is a richly detailed and dramatic experience for readers of all ages.

Review Quotes

[Titanic] is information-rich but entirely digestible. Perhaps the highest praise I have to give is sthat I got a real sense of being on the ship, caught up in all of the excitement and opulence of the mainden voyage. Yet, before long, I also caught a sense of the drama and tragedy that soon unfolded. This is an engaging read and, while there are now many books about the Titanic, this will be a worthwhile addition to a family's Titanic collection.--Gregory Bryan "Canadian Materials" (12/7/2007 12:00:00 AM)

A big, beautiful book ... The saga becomes real with weather reports, the accounts of the wreck, and newspaper articles of the day.--Annie Boulanger "Burnaby Now" (12/15/2007 12:00:00 AM)

Brings the intrigue of the ship's doomed voyage to life.... Guests and older children love it, too... an entertaining alternative to cards and board games.--Janet Groene "Family Motor Coaching" (12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)

Keeps the memories of that fateful event alive with incredible detail... An engrossing and revealing read.-- "The Magazine (J/YA)" (12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)

Packed with reproductions of tickets, menus, telegrams and more, Titanic is a treat for those fascinated by the doomed vessel.--Jonathan P. Kuehlein "Metro (Toronto)" (12/13/2007 12:00:00 AM)

The book offers many interesting facts about the ship, the people who were sailing on it, the sinking and the rescue efforts... The text in the book is quite accessible for the elementary student and yet will appeal to an older audience as well... I would recommend this book for use in school and public libraries as well as in personal collections.--Victoria Pennell "Resource Links" (12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)

The story is told in this beautifully designed and illustrated new book guaranteed to fascinatre young readers -- and their parents too.--Carole Ohlin "Home and School News"

The ultimate book for kids into the Titanic story. This book tells the true tale bout this huge passenger ship that wasn't supposed to sink -- but did. For readers 8 and up.--Pippa Wysong "The Toronto Star (Metro Edition)" (3/2/2008 12:00:00 AM)

The various illustrations and facts are brought together by an interesting and lively text.... This is a well-designed book with an interesting story, many facts and great illustrations.--Richard Chase, Lethbridge Children's Literacy Roundtable "The Lethbridge Herald" (12/29/2007 12:00:00 AM)

Titanic by Jim Pipe has the premise that a journalist if aboard to record the first voyage, making it very informative about all aspects of the ship.--Frank Lipsius "Metrokids Delaware (Philadelphia)" (12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)

Titanic is a fascinating read.... Written in the first person, it details, to the minute, life onboard ship, from its departure to its last moments.-- "Dig Magazine (J/YA)" (8/1/2008 12:00:00 AM)

Written as a first-person account by a fictitious travel writer, this Titanic gives readers a real sense of what it was like on the ship.--Deborah Wiles "The Chronicle Herald (Halifax)" (12/16/2007 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Jim Pipe has written numerous non-fiction books for children, many on historical subjects. He lives in Dublin, Ireland.