Tonight on the Titanic [Turtleback]

Mary Pope Osborne (Author), Sal Murdocca (Illustrator)

Product Details

• Turtleback
• Publisher: Demco Media (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 060616894X
• ISBN-13: 978-0606168946
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,000,331 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"I'm one of those very lucky people who absolutely loves what they do for a living. There is no career better suited to my eccentricities, strengths, and passions than that of a children's book author."--Mary Pope Osborne

Mary Pope Osborne is the author of the popular Magic Tree House series. She works with her husband Will and her sister Natalie on the nonfiction companion series, Magic Tree House Research Guides. Many of her books have been named to best-books lists.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is an excellent tool to use in the classroom!, October 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tonight on the Titanic (Magic Tree House, No. 17) (Paperback)

I am a fourth grade teacher and I have just completed this book. Tonight on the Titanic not only uses fantasy (treehouse going to another time) but throws a little history in with it (historical fantasy). I can't wait to begin my unit on famous ships and shipwrecks. Mary Pope Osborne also captures an element of suspense that children will love. Even I was worried that Jack and Annie would become trapped on the Titanic and never return home! This book will promote not only reading but encourage history as well. My advice to any primary educator is to become familiar with the Magic Tree House Series and use it in your daily curriculum!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not sad at all - a wonderful book., April 1, 2006

By 

Ashley Davis (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tonight on the Titanic (Magic Tree House, No. 17) (Paperback)

This book, like others in the Magic Tree House series, has Jack and Annie traveling through time and space. This time they arrive on the doomed Titanic hours before it sinks. In a letter to readers, Mary Pope Osborne acknowledges that she avoided this very scenario despite readers requests simply because she feared it would be too sad. She finally came to the conclusion that Jack and Annie may be able to help in the midst of the tragedy. And help they do, but not just aboard the ship.

When they first arrive at their treehouse, they find a little dog is inside. He is standing near a piece of paper - a letter from Morgan le Fay, the magical librarian who owns the treehouse. The note tells them that the dog is under a spell and they must collect four items in order to break the spell. (books 18, 19 & 20 are the other books where Jack and Annie seek out the remaining items).

Ms. Osborne then proceeds to explain the tragic situation aboard the Titanic in a way that left my five year old with a decent historical idea about what happened. The book is not graphic and the tragedy is not overtly stated. In fact, my five year old was not certain if people died when it sank. It left the door open for me to tell my daughter as much or as little as I thought she could handle. I felt that Ms. Osborne deftly handled a very complicated and difficult part of history. I would strongly recommend this series for elementary school children.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for a child learning to read, May 28, 2005

By 

Henry Cate III (CA. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tonight on the Titanic (Magic Tree House, No. 17) (Paperback)

All of my daughters love to listen to the Magic Tree House series. They'll listen to the same stories again and again. There is a basic pattern or template that the stories fit into. Jack and Annie, a brother and sister, go into a tree house that is near home. In the tree house they'll find a note left by Morgan giving them an assignment. They'll travel some where in history, have an adventure, do their assignment, and return home. One of the things I like about the books is we do learn a little history while reading the story.

I read "Tonight On The Titanic" with my middle daughter. We took turns, each reading a page. I enjoyed the book. Jack and Annie are asked to get a gift from a ship lost at sea, the gift will help break a magic spell. Jack and Annie end up on the Titanic. They try to encourage people to hurry and get off the Titanic. They have some success and get a gift from one of the people they save. It was fun to read.

Personally I'd probably give this four stars, but because my daughters like the Magic Tree House books so much, and they are target audience, it deserves a five. If you have young children this is a good book to read to them, or read with them.