Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic 1912 (Dear America Series) [Hardcover]

Ellen Emerson White (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Written from the point of view of a young passenger aboard the ill-fated Titanic, this title combines an award-winning series with the "disaster of the century".

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-The hopes and dreams of a young girl are beautifully conveyed through White's engaging narrative. Orphaned Margaret Ann looks forward to the day when she will have enough money to leave London to be reunited with her brother in America. She is given that opportunity when she becomes the companion to Mrs. Carstairs, a wealthy American returning to the States. Their voyage aboard the Titanic is a thrilling experience for Margaret until disaster strikes. Readers will be drawn to this 13-year-old's humble, friendly disposition. Friendship, courage, and fortitude are themes that resonate throughout the novel, contributing to its structural integrity. The story's historical significance is evident in Margaret's descriptions of the liner, the famous people she encounters, and the events leading up to the tragedy. A strong female protagonist and a flowing, descriptive narrative result in a powerful book about human frailty and courage in the face of adversity. Poignant scenes of familial love and friendship are believable, and Margaret's spiritual and emotional growth are evident by the course her life takes after the trauma. Archival photos and a time line bring the reality of the situation to light. A heartwarming story with wide appeal.
Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library,
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-6. Like Osborne's Standing in the Light, reviewed above, this novel is part of the Dear America series. It features orphan Margaret Brady, who is hired as a companion to wealthy American Mrs. Frederick Carstairs, traveling on the maiden voyage of the R. M. S. Titanic in 1912. For Margaret, this is an opportunity to join her older brother, William, in Boston. By now everyone in America knows the Titanic story backwards and forwards, and White's narrative provides no new insights. Margaret, like her celluloid twin Rose, passes up a seat in a life raft to search the lower decks for her doomed friend Robert, a ship's steward. Unlike Rose, Margaret's behavior with Robert remains age appropriate. Although perhaps not a first choice, this will be popular with the movie's young fans and will fill a need in most libraries. Appended with a historical note, period photos, and a time line. Kay Weisman

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 197 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; 1st edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590962736
• ISBN-13: 978-0590962735
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (169 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #331,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ellen Emerson White has lived in New york City for many years, but still hankers for New England a bit.

She roots for the Red Sox, even when they are not at their best.

She is wicked private.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The opportunity of her life turns into a nightmare., August 4, 2000

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic 1912 (Dear America Series) (Hardcover)

Thirteen-year-old Margaret, the fictional passenger that is the "writer" of the "diary" that makes up this book, shouldn't have even been on the Titanic. By a twist of fate that she interprets as good fortune, the orphan, who has been living at an orphanage since her mother died and her brother decided he couldn't care for her properly, gets a job with a wealthy American woman, Mrs. Carstairs. The job is fairly simple: Margaret just has to keep Mrs. Carstairs company during her return voyage to New York, and it comes with a ticket to America. Margaret takes the job eagerly: her brother now is living and working in America, able to support her, and has been saving up for a ticket for her for awhile. Now she can join him immediatley. But Mrs. Carstairs is returning to America on the Titanic. And we all know that voyage is doomed to end of tragedy. So Margaret unknowingly heads off into a disaster. We see through her eyes how the luxuries of first class would appear to a child who lived in poverty all of her life. And of course, the disaster plays a large role in the story as well. I highly reccomend this to fans of the Dear America series, historical fiction, and of course, the Titanic!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, September 23, 2001

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic 1912 (Dear America Series) (Hardcover)

Margaret Ann Brady is a 13 year old girl living in an orphanage in England. Her brother William left her there when her parents died so she would be taken care of while he was in America. Margaret gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she is chosen to go on the great ship, the Titanic, with a rich American woman named Mrs. Carstairs. She will be a helper, and also a companion to Mrs. Carstairs, and she will finally be able to be with William again, and see America for the first time.

While on the Titanic Margaret meets a young boy, only a few years older than herself, named Robert. She becomes very fond of him, and they become great friends.

Trouble starts one night while sailing in the Titanic. Robert comes running down the hall of the ship and waking everyone up. Supposedly they have hit an iceberg. The woman and children are all put into small boats and taken away. Margaret makes sure that Mrs. Carstairs gets into a boat, but runs off to find Robert. Robert cannot leave the ship on one of the boats because he is a worker and he has to try and save others.

Margaret thinks that all of the boats are gone and that she will die on this boat, but she makes it onto the last boat, and...Well I won't tell you the rest, you'll have to find out for yourself.

This was an excellent book, and it was written incredibly well. I recommend this book to any historical fiction fans, or anyone interested in the Titanic.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a great adventure story., November 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic 1912 (Dear America Series) (Hardcover)

In the book there's Margaret, William, Sister Cathrine, Robert, and Captain Edward Smith. When Margaret and William's parents died William was left with him and his sister to look after. When it got to hard for William to look after two people he left his sister at a orphange where he said he would come back for her.

When Margaret Ann Brady grew up, she was about 14 1/2. She got to go on a ship with a rich, fancy lady. She thought she was going to be a maid instead of a passenger on the Titanic. Sister Katherine couldn't believe it herself. But, finally after all that thinking, she accepted the invitation. When Margaret gave their tickets to the stewered he was a good looking boy, named Robert, she looked up to him.

In the follwing days that occured, Margaret and Robert grew close, while her and the lady grew apart. While the Titanic went farther west, the climate was getting colder and the crew knew what that meant icebergs at night. They were right. The Titanic sank at 11:48 p.m. April 14, 1912. Only 700 people survived, and left many others freeze in the deep blue Atlantic Sea.

I liked this book and I certainly would recommend it, but the part I didn't like was one all those people died.