Tonight on the Titanic (Magic Tree House #17) by Mary Pope Osborne (1999) Paperback

This book, like others in the Magic Tree House series, has Jack and Annie traveling through time and space. This time they arrive on the doomed Titanic hours before it sinks. In a letter to readers, Mary Pope Osborne acknowledges that she avoided this very scenario despite readers requests simply because she feared it would be too sad. She finally came to the conclusion that Jack and Annie may be able to help in the midst of the tragedy. And help they do, but not just aboard the ship. When they first arrive at their treehouse, they find a little dog is inside. He is standing near a piece of paper - a letter from Morgan le Fay, the magical librarian who owns the treehouse. The note tells them that the dog is under a spell and they must collect four items in order to break the spell. (books 18, 19 & 20 are the other books where Jack and Annie seek out the remaining items). Ms. Osborne then proceeds to explain the tragic situation aboard the Titanic in a way that left my five year old with a decent historical idea about what happened. The book is not graphic and the tragedy is not overtly stated. In fact, my five year old was not certain if people died when it sank. It left the door open for me to tell my daughter as much or as little as I thought she could handle. I felt that Ms. Osborne deftly handled a very complicated and difficult part of history. I would strongly recommend this series for elementary school children.

All of my daughters love to listen to the Magic Tree House series. They'll listen to the same stories again and again. There is a basic pattern or template that the stories fit into. Jack and Annie, a brother and sister, go into a tree house that is near home. In the tree house they'll find a note left by Morgan giving them an assignment. They'll travel some where in history, have an adventure, do their assignment, and return home. One of the things I like about the books is we do learn a little history while reading the story. I read "Tonight On The Titanic" with my middle daughter. We took turns, each reading a page. I enjoyed the book. Jack and Annie are asked to get a gift from a ship lost at sea, the gift will help break a magic spell. Jack and Annie end up on the Titanic. They try to encourage people to hurry and get off the Titanic. They have some success and get a gift from one of the people they save. It was fun to read. Personally I'd probably give this four stars, but because my daughters like the Magic Tree House books so much, and they are target audience, it deserves a five. If you have young children this is a good book to read to them, or read with them.

I was delighted reading this book because even though it was about history it amused me. It had a lot of details about the Titanic. For example it sunk at 2:20. I recommend this book if your looking for simple reading. Jack and Annie have to help people from the past. When you read this book you feel like you're in their journey on the Titanic. I even thought they were going to get stuck on a sinking ship. It's amazing how a book can frighten me. I can't wait to read the other books in this series!

Tonight on the Titanic is a good book if you like on the edge of your seat books.I know that it kept me on the edge of my seat!Jack takes a lot of notes and that is a good trait to have.Annie is very adventurous and risk-taking.Tonight on the Titanic is a fact-filled,yet fantasy book.This book is very fact-packed book.I love this book because I love the movie about the Titanic about the Titanic.It's just like the book,Tonight on the Titanic.This book is going to be my favorite book forever!William and Lucy are good people because they were nice and gaveAnnie and Jack the wacth.They listened to Jack and Annie about the Titanic,not like the men who were playing cards.The people that built the ship said the ship was unsinkable,but it wasn't.I think it's a good idea to put lifeboats that can fits EVERYBODY on the ship into them.I recomened kids ages 7-11 to read the whole series of the Magic Tree House books.

I am a fourth grade teacher and I have just completed this book. Tonight on the Titanic not only uses fantasy (treehouse going to another time) but throws a little history in with it (historical fantasy). I can't wait to begin my unit on famous ships and shipwrecks. Mary Pope Osborne also captures an element of suspense that children will love. Even I was worried that Jack and Annie would become trapped on the Titanic and never return home! This book will promote not only reading but encourage history as well. My advice to any primary educator is to become familiar with the Magic Tree House Series and use it in your daily curriculum!