Titanic

Even though the Titanic sank 100 years ago, its dramatic demise still grips the imagination. In April, 1912, when it began its fatal voyage, it was the largest moving object on earth and symbolized the height and the might of the Industrial Revolution. In Titanic, for kids, they’ll read about how this colossus was constructed and get a grasp on its incredible dimensions, and then they’ll take a peek inside the first, second, and steerage class sections. Along the way, they’ll meet an array of people who had booked passage on the first Transatlantic crossing of the Titanic – from kids and immigrants to royalty and millionaires – and later, they’ll read some of their survival stories, like the tale of the “Unsinkable Molly Brown”.

Then it’s time to look at the night disaster struck: It was cold, moonless evening, in a calm sea, when the ship struck an iceberg that ripped long gashes in her side. Once the captain realized the boat was sinking, fatal flaws in the ship’s design became starkly apparent; for one thing, there were not enough lifeboats, resulting in the unnecessary deaths of more than half of the 2,228 passengers. Other astonishing details about the night – like how the orchestra kept on playing as people evacuated – are sure keep kids glued to the tragic tale of the Titanic. For kids interested in learning more about the shipwreck itself, details on its discovery in 1985 will be fascinating reading too.