Iceberg  by Jennifer Neilsen (ages 9-14)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1338795023/ref=nosim?tag=beyondwordsle-20

Overview: It is 1912, and 14- year old Hazel Rothbury wants to travel from England to New York in order to get a factory job and help her poor family. However, she cannot afford a ticket.  So, she stows away on the great ship Titanic, hiding in various places to avoid being caught.    She soon makes friends on the ship who help her, but she also sees signs of danger that concern her. Within a few days, the great ship hits an iceberg and begins to sink. Soon, Hazel is fighting for her life and the lives of her friends.

Included:

·       33-question test (multiple-choice) covering whole novel with key and optional essay.

·       40 Study Questions covering whole book with key.

·       Mid-point quiz with 20 multiple-choice questions and key

·       Word Search

·       Enrichment article “What Actually Happened on the Titanic?”

Age Level and Length:   4^th grade Vocabulary level; interest level is grades 4-8.    The book is 352 pages long, but it is a fairly easy read.  It should take about 4-5 hours for the average 6^th grader to read. The test should take 30 minutes or less; the midpoint quiz takes 15 minutes or less.  Study questions should be broken into three assignments of about 20 minutes each. The word search and introduction are flexible. 

Maturity or Political Issues: None.   There are no sexual or political issues, and there is no violence, although the situation is fearful. No one is shown drowning or dying, even at the end. 

Additional Considerations: If there are any “maturity” issues with this book, it might be with adults or high school readers - - because the ending seems a bit too perfect, considering the real-world Titanic disaster. Almost all the characters survive the sinking, except for one old lady who changes her will and leaves her money to Harriet.  Conveniently, Harriet unknowingly saves this document and brings it into the lifeboat, thus ensuring security for her family.   However, middle schoolers do not seem to mind this unlikely ending, and this book is an exciting and readable adventure story for them.  The enrichment article about the real-world Titanic should probably be read before reading the novel.