This was too good of an
opportunity to not talk about another Magic Tree House book. This time,
we’re taking a trip on the Titanic.
The interesting part
about the Magic Tree House books is that they fit into both the nonfiction
and fiction genres. They use a realistic, historical setting to draw interest
from the student, using fictional characters to create a plot that will
interest them. While the interactions and specific plot in the book never
happened, the background information and representation of the setting provided
to the student is accurate. Naturally, as is true with roughly half of the
series, there is a companion book that details the history of the Titanic.
The introduction of the
Titanic in Tonight on the Titanic is a bit of unintended sadistic humor
on the part of Mary Pope Osborne.
“The title of the book
was The Unsinkable Ship.
‘Well, at least that’s
good,’ said Jack. ‘The ship won’t sink, even if it is lost.’”
I think we all know what
happens next.
The siblings are given a
quest by Morgan le Fay to find four gifts, one of which needs to come from a
ship lost at sea. That is where the Titanic comes into play. The book mentioned
in the quote provides a source of information for the pair as they are whisked
back in time to the night of April 14, 1912 – the night the Titanic struck an
iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean.
As the scene unfolds
before them, Jack repeatedly references the book for information about what is
happening – first discovering the ship is doomed to sink, then finding out that
no ships nearby come to the rescue, and then that there are not enough
lifeboats for the passengers. The use of an in-text reference book teaches the reader
all about the sinking while continuing to expand upon the story.
The story runs its
course, and the book is capped off by a list of facts about the Titanic. This element
is a nice addition that wraps up the real story for the reader, clearing up any
questions they may have after reading the story of Jack and Annie.
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