Titanic Books for Curious Kids

The Titanic is a historical event that will live on forever. If you’re a millennial like myself, you’ll probably have some really strong memories of Celine Dion singing My Heart Will Go On with young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in your mind. I think it’s one of those things that fascinates people because your brain can hardly believe it happened. To have a ship that was touted to be unsinkable, that then in fact, sinks, is somewhat unbelievable.

There are dozens of fiction and nonfiction titles about this specific historical event both for kids and adults. I know as a kid the story of what happened fascinated me and I think it still fascinates kids today because a lot of the books on this list weren’t published too long ago, which means they continue to create new fiction stories and nonfiction titles to share with kids.

This book list includes a couple of chapter books, middle grade, and even a young adult novel. But, it also includes a few nonfiction titles as well. I think that when kids are learning about history through historical fiction, it can really open the door to learning the historical facts about an event as well.

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Titanic Books for Curious Kids

Aboard the Titanic by John Son

There were close to 2,200 people aboard the Titanic for its maiden voyage, including about 900 crew members. Among the ship’s first-class passengers were some of the richest people in the world — from business tycoons to movie stars. In second- and third-class compartments were people from across Europe who were sailing to a new life in America. Also aboard that April were Joseph Laroche, the only Black passenger on the Titanic, Masabumi Hosono, the only Japanese passenger, and a group of six Chinese men travelling in third class. Take a fateful trip with all these travelers in the pages of Aboard the Titanic.

Finding the Titanic: How Images from the Ocean Depths Fueled Interest in the Doomed Ship by Michael Burgan

On the night of April 14, 1912, as it made its first voyage, the luxury steamship Titanic struck an iceberg. Then, a few hours after midnight on April 15, the ship sank thousands of feet before settling on the ocean floor. And that’s where it stayed, whereabouts unknown, for the next 73 years until it was discovered by oceanographer Robert Ballard and his crew. The pictures and video Ballard brought back from the 1985 discovery helped stir new interest in the Titanic’s voyage and its resting spot.

History Smashers: Titanic by Kate Messner, illustrated by Matt Aytch Taylor

On April 15, 1912 an “unsinkable” ship called the Titanic unexpectedly hit an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic. Right?

Wrong! Nobody was really talking about the Titanic being unsinkable until after it sank.

The truth is, four different ships wired the Titanic to report icebergs and field ice in the area. But the Titanic never slowed down. In fact, when the Californian warned that it was trapped in ice, the Titanic’s wireless operator was so busy sending outgoing messages that he replied, “Shut up!” No joke.

I Survived: The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis

Ten-year-old George Calder can’t believe his luck — he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. The ship is full of exciting places to explore, but when George ventures into the first class storage cabin, a terrible boom shakes the entire boat. Suddenly, water is everywhere, and George’s life changes forever.

Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Hazel Rothbury is traveling all alone from her home in England aboard the celebrated ship Titanic. Following the untimely death of her father, Hazel’s mother is sending her to the US to work in a factory, so that she might send money back home to help her family make ends meet.

But Hazel harbors a secret dream: She wants to be a journalist, and she just knows that if she can write and sell a story about the Titanic’s maiden voyage, she could earn enough money to support her family and not have to go to a sweatshop. When Hazel discovers that her mother didn’t send her with enough money for a ticket, she decides she must stow away onboard the storied ship.

With the help of a porter named Charlie and a sweet first-class passenger named Sylvia, Hazel explores the opulent ship in secret, but a haunting mystery quickly finds her. The danger only intensifies when calamity strikes, and readers will be caught up in the terror and suspense alongside Hazel as she fights to save her friends and herself.

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise though, she’s turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese aren’t allowed into America.

But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is there, as is an influential circus owner, whom Val hopes to audition for. Thankfully, there’s not much a trained acrobat like Val can’t overcome when she puts her mind to it.

As a stowaway, Val should keep her head down and stay out of sight. But the clock is ticking and she has just seven days as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic to find Jamie, perform for the circus owner, and convince him to help get them both into America.

Then one night the unthinkable happens, and suddenly Val’s dreams of a new life are crushed under the weight of the only thing that matters: survival.

Ranger In Time: Disaster on the Titanic by Kate Messner, illustrated by Kelley McMorris

Everyone says the Titanic is unsinkable, and Patrick Murphy believes this most of all. He grew up near the shipyard where the magnificent ship was built and officially started working there when he turned thirteen. He’s even been chosen to be part of the crew during the Titanic’s maiden voyage! Ranger meets Patrick before the ship sets sail, and once on board, they befriend Maryam and Hamad. But one night, the ship hits an iceberg and starts to take on water. It’s a race against time for Ranger and his friends to help get as many passengers — including themselves — off the ship before it’s too late.

The Story of Titanic for Children: Astonishing Little-Known Facts and Details About the Most Famous Ship in the World by Joe Fullman

More than a century after it crashed into an iceberg, the Titanic remains as compelling as ever. Now children can explore its beautiful sundecks, marvel at the luxurious design, and relive the tragic sinking of the world’s most famous ship. Rich in visual detail, this insightful look at the unfolding disaster will hold kids spellbound with intriguing facts and real-life stories.

Titanic by Melissa Stewart

Just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Olympic-class passenger liner’s ill-fated journey, this title is replete with brilliant photographs and exclusive in-depth coverage including Bob Ballard’s 1985 discovery. Brought to you only as National Geographic can, the industrial feat of the powerful ship, the tragedy of the wreckage, and the fascinating stories of survival bring the historical significance of the Titanic to a new audience in this level 3 reader.

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson

In this award-winning book, critically acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson weaves together the voices and stories of real TITANIC survivors and witnesses to the disaster — from the stewardess Violet Jessop to Captain Arthur Rostron of the CARPATHIA, who came to the rescue of the sinking ship. Packed with heartstopping action, devastating drama, fascinating historical details, loads of archival photographs on almost every page, quotes from primary sources, and painstaking back matter, this gripping story, which follows the TITANIC and its passengers from the ship’s celebrated launch at Belfast to her cataclysmic icy end, is sure to thrill and move readers.

Tonight on the Titanic by Mary Pope Osborne

Titanic trouble! Jack and Annie are in for an exciting, scary, and sad adventure when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the decks of the Titanic. Is there anything they can do to help the ill-fated ship? Will they be able to save anyone? Will they be able to save themselves?

What Was the Titanic? by Stephanie Sabol, illustrated by Gregory Copeland

At 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912, the Royal Mail Steamer Titanic, the largest passenger steamship of this time, met its catastrophic end after crashing into an iceberg. Of the 2,240 passengers and crew onboard, only 705 survived. More than one hundred years later, today’s readers will be intrigued by the mystery that surrounds this ship that was originally labeled “unsinkable.”