Lawson, Julie. Ghosts of the Titanic.

Lawson, Julie.  Ghosts of the Titanic.       Holiday House, 2011. 169p.   $16.95.  ISBN 978-0-8234-2423-8     elm/ms            Realistic Fiction          E-BN           

This story illustrates that life is not always what you think it is. Twelve-year-old Kevin Messenger first learns about the Titanic disaster when his class studies and visits the Titanic Artifact Exhibition that is touring North America. He learns about the people on the ship and the hardships imposed on the passengers. His interest is further enhanced when his father learns that he has inherited a house in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Angus Seaton, a crew member of the Mackey-Bennett (the ship that rescued people from the Titanic).  While they are at the house in Nova Scotia, Kevin starts researching the disaster. He also starts hearing from a ghost named, Annie, who is trying to find out what happened to her son, Michael.  It seems that Kevin is the only one hearing the voices, and this leads to some disciplinary action by his parents for bad behavior.  The way the author ties the story together right up to the ending will keep readers entranced and refusing to put down the novel.
SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read further if you don’t want the ending.
The fact that Angus Seaton rescued a small boy named Michael but couldn’t save his mother is heart wrenching. When he was loading Michael’s drowned mother onto the boat, Angus distractedly placed a small pocketbook into his pocket.  Events turned hectic and he forgot about it.  That error meant that Michael was never identified.  However, Margaret Dyson took care of Michael and adopted him after her marriage to George Messenger, Kevin’s grandfather.  Kevin learns the facts and answers Annie’s questions, and all ends well.        Subject: Titanic Disaster

Linda McNeil