Iceberg
Twelve-year-old Hazel Rothbury is being sent to New York City to live with an aunt and work at a garment factory so that she can send money home to her widowed mother and four younger brothers. Hazel seeks passage on the Titanic, only to discover that her mother’s entire savings isn’t enough for a third-class ticket. Thinking it her only option, Hazel hides inside a trunk and becomes a stowaway on the famous ship.
Hoping to become a journalist instead of a factory worker, Hazel asks questions of everyone she meets, learning much about single and double hulls, icebergs, refraction, lifeboats, and all the mistakes that will eventually cause the Titanic to sink. Perhaps unrealistic, but smoothly deployed through Hazel’s inquisitive personality, this information prepares the child reader with the knowledge of the many things that went wrong on that voyage. Hazel makes friends with a first-class girl her own age, a young porter, and a former governess. She makes a few enemies as well while learning secrets among the crew and passengers.
The first half of the book is pre-iceberg-collision and still thrilling. As a stowaway, Hazel must hide, but as a curious child, she’s always getting herself and her friends into trouble. There are con men aboard, thieves, kidnappers, and much to keep a reader guessing. Then, as Hazel fears, the ship hits the iceberg. Will Hazel escape? Will her friends? Endnotes explain what was true, what could have been true, and what the author invented. An exciting, educational read that its target audience is sure to enjoy. Ages 8-12.
