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I would consider this book to be mainly a nonfiction book. Although due to the fact it is about Titanic, it also falls into the historical fiction category in my mind. This book is a companion to the Magic Tree House book, Tonight on the Titanic. It is filled with facts about the ship itself, the date it sailed from England, real-life passengers, ships crew and much more. My daughter loved all of the random facts it held, for example it had 1,750 quarts of ice cream on board and even photos of underwater wreckage. Due to it being non-fiction it is meant to be read by children who are proficient readers (2nd grade and up).

This book parallels Tonight on the Titanic. The Magic Tree House book are fiction, but they include some elements that are true. Titanic is a nonfiction book that describes the facts of this horrible disaster. I absolutely love that Mary Pope Osborne created this book because it allows students to understand what truly happened on that horrible night. The book is told in a way that captures the attention of children and allows them to better understand the story of the Titanic. The book discusses how the ship was built, people aboard the ship, heroes of the disaster, and much more. Even I learned some new things that I didn’t know before! ( )

I like this book for 3 reasons. First, as a nonfiction companion to an actual Magic Tree House adventure, this book is informational, but it reads like a story. It introduces a lot of unknown facts and is very interesting even for adults. Second, this is a transitional chapter book with illustrations and photographs breaking up the text. The book is visually pleasing, not overwhelming, and has a great combination of text features throughout the book. This includes: Jack and Annie’s heads on the sides of the pages giving explanations or definitions; chapter headings and subheadings; maps of the inside of the ship with labels or the route of the ship; diagrams to aid understanding; “fact files” to answer questions and misconceptions; and a “Titanic Timetable” to sum up all of the events. Third, this book is written in a way that children can relate. It is not too sad or serious for children to read. It highlights real passengers and heroes on the Titanic, and stops to summarize at different points in the story to ensure that children are following the content. Overall, the big picture of this book is to teach about the Titanic.

I really enjoyed reading this book for a few reasons. The books primary purpose was to inform children about the Titanic. I like the fact that Magic Tree House has the ability to write a totally non-fiction book while keeping the interest of young readers. I liked the pages of illustrations that helped the reader visualize what was described on the pages before or after. There are also diagrams and flow charts that explain the parts of the boat and what went wrong. This is yet another way to attract diverse readers who need the pictorial representation to fully comprehend the story. I also like the flow of the book. It goes from beginning to end. It starts with the construction of the boat, and ends with the sinking. I think the main point of the book is to inform young readers about what the time of the Titanic and the tragic story that surrounds it ( )