Unsinkable

It's 1912, and street-kids Paddy and Daniel are used to fending for themselves on Belfast's mean streets. What they're not used to is the monumental revenge of a pickpocketing victim they had targeted none other than the mighty gangster James Gilhooley. Gilhooley's thugs grab Paddy and ferry him away into the cargo hold of the spectacular new ocean-liner Titanic, which is just about to begin its journey out of Belfast's shipbuilding yard. Terrified and alone, Paddy assumes Daniel has been killed as he begins the next phase of his life as a stowaway. Korman paints a vivid picture of life aboard the doomed vessel as passengers and crew alternately befriend and menace the plucky young fugitive. Can Paddy and junior-steward Alphie keep each other's secrets? Will young passengers Sophie and Juliana be allies? The high-octane adventure packs plenty of suspense and close calls and a host of smug references to the unsinkable nature of the ship in this first installment of what is likely to be a popular series.--O'Malley, Anne Copyright 2010 Booklist

Gr 4-7-These books follow the lives of four teens who become friends and help save one another aboard the sinking ship. Paddy Burns, 14, is a homeless runaway who mourns the death of his best friend. While Daniel was being brutally attacked, Paddy hid in a crate that was slowly lifted onto the Titanic. He had no way off the ship and became a stowaway. Alfie Huggins's mother just left him, so he lies about his age and applies for a steward position on the ship, where his father will be working as an engine stoker. Sophie Bronson is the daughter of a suffragist who turns every situation into a political rally. They have been kicked out of England and given a police escort to the vessel. Juliana Glamm is the daughter of the 17th Earl of Glamford. He has lost all of his family's money gambling and is going to sell his daughter to a wealthy Texas oil tycoon, unbeknownst to her. They are traveling to America to meet their soon-to-be in-laws. Korman mixes facts about the Titanic into this historical adventure. Readers will learn about the building of the ship, why it was supposed to be unsinkable, and the duties of the different crew members. The series focuses on Paddy, who is the best-developed character, and the difficulties of keeping him hidden. Still, readers will find something to relate to in the different relationships the other teens had with their parents. Because one book flows into the next, individual titles do not stand alone.-Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Titanic Book One: Unsinkable RMS CARPATHIA Monday, April 15, 1912, 9:30 A.M. They stood four deep on the afterdeck of the Carpathia , chilled to the bone, staring out at nothing. Dark water, light swells--no evidence that barely seven hours before, the largest and most magnificent ship the world had ever seen had sailed there in all her glory. The truth was nearly impossible to believe: The RMS Titanic lay at the bottom of the sea, along with everyone who sailed in her, save the 706 souls rescued and now aboard the Carpathia . "Look!" The cry energized the exhausted throng. A flash of color among the endless waves. A survivor? And then the swell turned over the item that stirred their frozen hearts with momentary hope. A deck chair. Nothing more. Excerpted from Unsinkable by Gordon Korman All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.