Titanic, Book 2

Gr 5—8—The stakes are even higher for the four teens in the second title (Scholastic, 2011) in Gordon Korman's trilogy. The crew of the RMS Titanic is aware that there's a stowaway onboard, so 14-year-old Paddy Burns has to use all the survival skills he honed on the streets of Belfast to remain hidden on the great ship. Alfie Huggins, a junior steward, has discovered a disturbing scrapbook chronicling the Whitechapel murders, complete with "souvenirs" from the grisly events, including human teeth. The presence of the scrapbook amidst the passengers' luggage leads Alfie to believe that the notorious Jack the Ripper might be onboard the ship and he is intent on discovering the killer's identity. Aristocrat Juliana Glamm is aghast to learn the reason her father brought her on his business trip to America, and kind-hearted Sophie Bronson is determined to befriend the cantankerous Mr. Masterson who may be hiding a sinister secret. Meanwhile, warnings of icebergs in the shipping lanes continue to pore in as the Titanic heads for disaster. Michael Page narrates with a strong sense of pacing, drawing listeners into the action and tension of the story. He excels at giving each character a unique voice appropriate to their age, class, nationality, personality, and temperament. Listeners will eagerly await the final installment.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL