Any votes for the best Titanic childrens book

[Tarn Stephanos]

Which Titanic book was THE best childrens book?

There is one ive recently seen in a series of books about science,animals,etc; one volume is on Titanic, and is laden with photos. Great kids book....(the title escapes me)

The Ballard book was good; the kids version, though hands down my favorite was the 1974 "Titanic" by Richard Boning. The book even came with a narrative cassette. I remember back in grammar school in ancient times, in 1979, I read, and listened to this book, and was hooked.....



regards

Tarn Stephanos

 

[Michael Tennaro]

Tarn, the book you are thinking about could be Titanic by Simon Adams, a volume in the DK Eyewitness Books series.

I don't really have a "best" children's book, but one of my current favorites is Story of the Titanic by Steve Noon. a short book, but oversized, and with really cool cutaway drawings of Titanic telling the story of the sinking.

 

[Michael Tennaro]

okay, since Fiona asked so nicely, let's get this thread going again! as I mentioned a year ago, I really liked Steve Noon's book - just because the illustrations are so great. its for the 4 to 8 age group.

if I had to pick the single "best" children's book, though, I would probably go with Shelley Tanaka's On Board the Titanic: What it was Like When the Great Liner Sank.

it is a short, but very well written work. it tells the story through the eyes of two of the young men on board, Jack Thayer in first class, and Harold Bride, the junior Marconi operator. as an added bonus, it is illustrated by Ken Marschall, including a double-page cutaway of the ship (I love cutaways!). this is for the 9 to 12 age group.

another big plus is that it is probably the most accurate children's books I have read yet.

all the best, Michael (TheManInBlack) T

 

[Michael Tennaro]

by the way, in the other thread, Susan mentioned Inside the Titanic by Brewster and Marschall. I agree wholeheartedly with her - that is another great book. plus it has cutaways! did I mention I love cutaways?

all the best, Michael (TheManInBlack) T

 

[Fiona Nitschke]

It's tough choosing only one children's book - do we mean fiction or non fiction? If fiction and we're looking at works for the under twelves, I'd have to go with Polar. Mind you, just about everyone I've ever discussed that book with has loved it - it really is a book for 'children of all ages'. Another good work of fiction for young readers is Mary Pope Osborne's Tonight on the Titanic from the Magic Tree House series (be prepared to break out the tissues at the end though).

If non fiction, I agree with Mike T re the Tanaka book, and with Susan about Marschall and Brewster. Cutaways, yay! (Not that I’ve read Steve Noon’s book yet.) From the more recent releases, I thought David Stewart's You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic! quite good. I'm also very fond of the Dorling Kindersley series, particularly those by Simon Adams (Titanic) and Eric Kentley (Discover the Titanic). A good fiction entry from Dorling Kindersley is Caryn Jenner's Survivors - the Night Titanic Sank, featuring the fictional Tate family, travelling third class.

Of earlier works, I agree with Tarn regarding the merit of Richard Boning's Titanic. I'm also fond of the particularly grim illustrations reminiscent of the best socialist state educative art work, complete with firmed jawed heroic or menacing officers and doomed third class families. I’d also like to put in a vote for Arthur Cooke’s A Day in a Shipyard, even though it’s not really a ‘Titanic’ book but an ‘Olympic’ book.

 

[Susan L. Romanyuk]

Because Fiona asked really nicely I will repost my choice here. Tarn as you were not age specific I would have to say 'Inside The Titanic' by Hugh Brewster and Ken Marschall. The text is easy for younger children to understand and the illustrations are poignant and really tell the story of Titanic.

I also have to agree with Michael Tennaro about Shelly Tanaka's 'On Board the Titanic: What it was Like When the Great Liner Sank.' Micheal may be big on cut-aways, but I am a huge fan of illustrations in childrens books. And the Tanaka and Brewster books both use Ken Marschall's works. And who better to tell titanic's visual story then Ken?

 

[Susan L. Romanyuk]

I have another book to recommend. How about 'Ghost Liners: Exploring The World's Greatest Lost Ships by Robert Ballard & Rick Archbold, illustrated by Ken Marschall. This is another book for the younger set. The text is well written and interesting. This book covers not just Titanic, but other great liners as well. And again the illustrations complete the story of these great lost ships.

I have used this book and Hugh Brewster's book Inside Titanic on some guest lectures I have done at the elementary school here in my home town. The children were fascinated with Ken Marschall's illustrations.

 

[John Clifford]

We, of course, have to include "Polar the Titanic Bear", and, as I mentioned in another thread, "Titanic Crossing", for young readers.

 

[Colleen Collier]

How about Ghost of the Abyss, 3-D childrens version? The 3-D illustrations really add something neat and (different) to those well known pictures. (And if we are speaking fondly of Ken Marschall, well, who can beat a 3-D of him sitting there as Ismay?!?!?

)
What age are we speaking of in regards to a childrens book? My daughters favorite book, is the same as her daddy's was at the same age. That stands as "A Night To Remember."
"882 1/2 Facts about Titanic" is an enjoyable little book of snipets of data.
Polar the Titanic Bear is a favorite with my 5 year old.
My older son read and re-read "Finding the Titanic" until it fell apart.
We too, like "Inside the Titanic"...
Too many choices! I like them all!

 

[Randy Bryan Bigham]

"Polar the Titanic Bear" is my favorite. I have bought it for both of my nephews and my niece. I have not yet seen the children's edition of "Ghosts of the Abyss" but will be buying that for the kiddies as well.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

"Polar the Titanic Bear", "On board the Titanic: What it was Like When The Great Liner Sank" and "Inside Titanic" are a few of my favourites. "882 1/2 Facts about Titanic" does contain several errors, but it's still a good book with lots of illustrations which I'm also a big fan of in children's books. I'm also a big fan of cutaways!

The children's version of "Ghosts of the Abyss" has quickly become one of my favourites as well. As Colleen said, it presents those photos in a whole new way.

Best regards,

Jason

 

[Susan L. Romanyuk]

Gee Jason,

Now you have me curious enough to buy the children's version of Ghosts of the Abyss! And you know, even though I am an 'old adult' I read these books and get into them just as a child might. Oh jeez am I saying that I have not grown up yet?

 

[Fiona Nitschke]

LOL! Gosh no, Susan - but if it makes you feel any better I have a huge collection of Titanic children's books too.

I'm looking forward to adding the kids' version of GoTA to my collection sometime soon. Thanks for the recommendation, Colleen.

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

LOL! Definitely not, Susan.

I recommend purchasing a copy. It's well worth it.

Best regards,

Jason

 

[James Doyle]

Just wondering, I also injoyed 882 1/2 questions when I was younger. What are some of the errors in it?

Funny Story...when I was in 4th grade, my teacher had Ballard's Discovery of the Titanic, behind her desk with a number of other books. All other books in the classroom were free to read except for the ones behind her desk, which is where the book was. One day without her looking, I grabbed the book and ran back to my desk. Needless to say, I had my reading material for a few days, then slipped it back without her ever knowing! I think thats when I became very interested in Titanic! Thanks Ms. Ward!