The Titanic (Survival Tails #1)

Gr 3-6--Titanic-obsessed readers will be in for a treat with this new twist for youngsters fascinated with the events surrounding the sinking of the infamous British liner. Young Alice tearfully boards the ship with her father, unhappy that she must leave behind her beloved dog, Mutt. Unbeknownst to her, Mutt stows away on the ship, determined to find his owner. A street-wise rat named King Leon and the captain's helpful cat, Clara, become his unlikely allies in finding hiding places and leftover scraps. While the trio takes care of a litter of abandoned kittens, they join in the search for Alice. The keen eyesight of the cat spies the dreaded iceberg even before the crew notices. As the ship begins to sink, the animals come to the rescue multiple times. King Leon advises his animal buddies to "follow the rats" as rodents are known to be imbued with shrewd survival skills, while Clara leads them to safety with her well-worn familiarity of the boat's stairways and halls. Mutt's discovery of Alice leads to a dramatic moment when only women and girls are allowed to board the lifeboats, potentially leaving the dog and father to perish onboard. The dog selflessly saves her life. Those who love animal stories and history about the Titanic will be rewarded with the perfect combination of adventure and history. The back of the book includes additional information about the Titanic and interesting facts about dogs, cats, and rats. VERDICT Recommend this book to readers of Lauren Tarshis's "I Survived" tales.--Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA