Sinking of the Titanic (Graphic Non Fiction: Graphic History) by Matt Doeden

Sinking of the Titanic (Graphic Non Fiction: Graphic History) Reviews

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  Mayda

  This graphic novel is aimed at upper elementary students and does on excellent job of introducing them to the tragic sinking of the Titanic. Colorful illustrations and succinct captions explain the details of the ship and its inevitable loss after hitting the iceberg. The book includes a glossary, bibliography, and websites for those inclined to learn more. Part of a series of historical events, this book will appeal to both boys and girls.
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  ALLEN

  This thirty-two page graphic novel relates, simply and efficiently, the 1912 sinking of the TITANIC. Amazon recommends it for the (American) third and fourth grades; for that group I'd give it five stars but for the rest of us, four.
  
  
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  Kasey H

  DATE: December 5, 2012
  
  I just finished The Sinking of the Titanic by Matt Doeden. Matt Doeden makes information books sound very interesting. It’s very hard for that to happen when writing information books. He does a great job of describing all the details of how devastating it was. This was a graphic novel and so there were speech bubbles from people who were saying things during the event of the Titanic. He does a great job of making those words sound realistic- and just perfect, in my opinion. I know some of you have already head of the story of the Titanic, but it was a very devastating story of a ship that hit an iceberg, and sank. Some of people were not off the boat in time to save their lives so thousands of people died. Many families and friends were very sad. An event in my life where I was sad was when I didn’t get on a soccer team that I wanted to be on. I tried to get on the team just like the people tried to get off the boat. Not just like it, but it felt like it! I was devastated for days, and I bet those people were devastated for a way longer time! This book was very action-packed because there is no way the Titanic could have been a slow story. Things were happening so fast. The book was very fast-paced because, just how I explained it was action-packed, it was fast-paced. Overall, Matt Doeden was a very good writer, but the Titanic was a very sad story!
  
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  Elizabeth

  Five stars! It can’t have been easy taking such a complex and tragic topic and writing about it for children, but Matt Doeden has pulled it off admirably in this brief graphic novel. The language is simple and clear, but never condescending. In telling the story, Doeden shows a remarkable instinct for knowing which elements to include and which to omit. There were a lot of complicated factors that led to the disaster, but Doeden presents a clear (and very accurate) narrative, and he does so in only 27 pages. I am especially in awe of this book’s professional nature—this is one of the most balanced, objective, and non-misleading children’s history books I’ve seen. Doeden also shies away from the unprovable and the debunked. For example, there is debate about the last song performed by the band; Doeden shows the band playing as the ship sinks, but he does not specify any particular tune. Decisions such as this helped keep the book grounded in fact. Dialog that is quoted exactly appears in yellow speech bubbles, so that readers know what’s true and what’s been reconstructed. The illustrations are evocative and highly emotional, but never gruesome. Magnificently done!
  
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  Elizabeth

  I chose this book from Park Middle School's list of Capstone non-fiction e-books. This book is a graphic novel take on the story of Titanic. It is great for readers from third through - sixth graders, so children 8 and up. The book is very appealing due to it's bold pictures on every page. The pictures are emphasized because it's a graphic novel, so there are less words that pictures. The book is fast-paced and full of information on the sinking of Titanic. It would keep the interest of most readers.
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  Stephen Snyder

  I have always loved Graphic Library’s books, and this one is gradation.
  
  I highly recommend this series to both parents and educator’s to introducing reluctant readers to these high interest books. I have often used these graphic history and graphic biography books with students for many years with remarkable success. I’ve seen reluctant readers become either regular readers or avid readers as result of reading these books and pursing more information on their topics.
  
  Graphic novels have saved a lot of students’ academic lives.
  
  Thank you for the loan Oil City Library!
  
  
  
  
• 
  Doctor Doom

  Nicely done retelling of this tragic event except they give credence to the old [pre-Ballard] theory of a big gash which according to Ballard [whom they also reference] would have sunk the Titanic even quicker. That just makes it a bit confusing.
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  Chelsea

  A great way to get students interested in non-fiction books! Great pictures and facts.
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  CaseyKS.

  Another excellent book on facts about the Titanic.
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  Leslie Medrano

  Genre: Graphic novel- nonfiction
  Format: Children's Comic Book
  Award: None
  
  Summary: This comic book is a true story of the Titanic tragic voyage. First it begins by explaining, the different people who were on the ship. Then it explains how the collision happened. The Titanic was going too fast, that it was hard for them to steer the boat away from the iceberg. The Captain gives orders to get as many people off the ship onto the life boats. Many families were separated because they were only allowing women and children onto the life boats. At 2:17 the Titanic split in half. About two hours after, the Carpathia reached the scene. They helped the survivors on board and try to comfort them as best as they could. When they arrived in New York City, thousands of people were waiting to search for their friends or family members. Unfortunately, many people learned the worst that day.
  
  Critique: I like this book and will definitely use it in my classroom. I have a student now that really enjoys reading comic books. If a teacher can find a format in which the student will enjoy, they should definitely use it. The student will be more interested about reading about a time in history through a comic book.
  
  Teaching prompt: After reading the book, the teacher can refer to page 9 and ask the students "do you think the operator could have avoided the sinking of the Titanic, if he would have just rushed to get that message to the Captain?"
  
  Craft element: After reading the book, the students can write about how they might have felt if they were waiting in New York City for their family or friend and learned that their loved one was not on the ship.
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  Reggie Overton

  A unique approach to re tell the story of the Titanic that many of us know and sustain curiosity for more and more. This is a graphic novel ie comic book take on an event that overseas an array of characters and personalities that make up the events of the night no one will forget. We are immediately thrown into the action and not given much of a history lesson on the ship itself but instead the reader is immediately put into a setting that involves fear, bravery, courage, and the will of survival. Amongst human error and an over estimation of sheer technological abilities the characters must develop new strategies to save as many lives as possible aboard a doomed ship. The book is hardcover and the illustrations are simple yet colorful in a classic comic pin print style.
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  Thomas Rewi

  This an interesting book about the mighty Titanic sinking. The novel includes story's about the 2,200 passengers and crew aboard the vessel as it sank. Also other story's about how Frederick Fleet not having binoculars to spot the iceberg, and when he did, it was too late. If the iceberg was seen earlier it would have saved the ship and all the people that died on the voyage. Also about other ships seeing the distress signals and playing them off. It's an interesting book which would be 3/5 stars.
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  babyhippoface

  The tragic story of the Titanic is told in brief graphic novel format for young readers. Illustrations are lackluster, but the comic book look will draw readers in and keep them turning pages. Two pages of more information, along with a glossary, table of contents, bibliography, index, and lists for further reading and research on this high-interest topic are given to encourage students to dig further in the the ship’s history.
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  Robert B. Miller

  Read by Laurie, Spring 2008
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  Maya

  This is a book i didnt expect to like but it was pretty good. I saw the movie and thought it would be kind of cool to learn about. It would be so scary to be in the ship when it was sinking!!
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  Stefani🍁

  Me gustó como contaron la historia (es una novela de 32 páginas) I mean no es mucho pero contaron la historia muy bien y hay datos que desconocía
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  Brittany Williams

  No Awards
  Appropriate Grade Levels: 3-4
  This is a graphic novel about the sinking of the Titanic. It tells the story of the passengers that were on the ship from when they first boarded. There are thought and speech bubbles throughout the book that show what the passengers were thinking.
  This is a good book, considering it's a "darker" story. I really liked how the author added the thought and speech bubbles. I think that the illustrations added to the emotion of the book.
  You could use this book to teach about the Titanic. You could also use it to show children how to add more to their drawings using those thought bubbles.