Officer Buster’s Reading List

Our dedicated First Officer Buster, a passionate reader and a true Titanic enthusiast, has meticulously compiled an extensive collection of books that offer a unique glimpse into the awe-inspiring history of the legendary ship. Whether your child is a budding bookworm or just starting their reading journey, we have the perfect recommendations to ignite their imagination and foster a love for literature.

With age-appropriate categories and reading level indicators, finding the ideal book for your child has never been easier. Explore thrilling tales of Hope, Courage and Resilience, delve into gripping narratives of the ship’s construction and ill-fated voyage, and learn about the remarkable passengers who embarked on this monumental journey.

Books are listed in order of age recommendation, beginning with Kindergarten and ending with Teen and Young Adult.

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

T IS FOR TITANIC

Recommended for Pre-K to age 7+
Illustrated Alphabet Book. 
Excellent book to read to those not reading yet up to young readers.

A great way to bring the story of the Titanic to life for children of all ages! This book, developed for the Titanic Museum Attraction, takes you on an alphabetic journey presenting the facts that surround the RMS Titanic. T is for Titanic is a book the whole family can enjoy together.

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

ESCAPING TITANIC : A YOUNG GIRL’S STORY OF SURVIVAL

Recommended from Pre-K to age 7+
Grades 2 – 7
Nonfiction picture book. 

Excellent book to read to those not reading yet, and for young solo readers. Twelve-year-old Ruth Becker is sailing on the Titanic’s maiden voyage. The unsinkable ship’s luxury is beyond her wildest dreams. But in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, Ruth and her family are suddenly aware that the grand ship is in trouble. Her mother, brother, and sister escape on a lifeboat, while Ruth remains on deck. Will she be stranded on the Titanic?

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

MERMAID TALES : A TITANIC FRIENDSHIP

Recommended ages 6 – 10 years
Grades 2 through 5
Fiction chapter book
Book 22 in the Mermaid Tales series!

Echo struggles to share her friends with a new student in this twenty-second Mermaid Tales adventure.

Echo has always been fascinated by human inventions, so she’s especially interested when her class studies the history of the Titanic and the bacteria discovered there, Halomonas titanicae. When Mrs. Karp announces that the class will be going on an ocean trip to the sunken vessel, Echo is thrilled to have a chance to see it, since the ship is decaying and won’t be around much longer.

The ocean trip isn’t the only big news at school—a new merstudent, Anita, will be joining the class! But Echo and Anita immediately don’t get along. Anita is rude to Echo the first time they meet, and all of Echo’s friends seem to like Anita better than her.

As the trip approaches, the merfriends learn that the Titanic site isn’t wheelchair accessible, meaning Anita won’t be able to join the class. Her friends decide to boycott the trip, but Echo has been looking forward to it for weeks. Is Echo willing to look past her jealousy and give up the trip? Or can she find way for everyone to be included in both the ocean trip and her friend group?

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

TITANICAT BY MARTY CRISP

Recommended ages 6 – 10
Grades 2 – 5
Historical Fiction. 
This book is excellent to read to younger children and features beautiful illustrations.

Young Jim Mulholland can’t believe his good luck: He has signed on as a cabin boy to the world’s finest ocean liner, the Titanic, and can’t wait for the history-making voyage across the sea to America.

As part of his duties Jim is in charge of the ship’s cat, a beautiful tortoiseshell that also appears happy to be on board. He calls the cat by the ship’s construction number, 4-0-1, certain that she will bring him good luck. And he’s delighted when 4-0-1 shortly gives birth to a litter of kittens.

But once the ship’s trial runs are completed and it’s ready to launch to sea, Jim notices that 4-0-1 is nowhere to be found. He’s got to find her – the Titanic can’t cast off without her lucky cat.

Jim is faced with a decision that will affect the rest of his life.

About the author:

A newspaper journalist for 30 years, Marty Crisp often writes about the animals that hold a special interest and place in her heart. She has published many award-winning books for children and adults, including White Star, her book about a dog on the Titanic. Marty lives in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Robert Papp’s award-winning artwork includes hundreds of illustrations for major publishers across the United States, and his first children’s book, The Scarlet Stockings Spy, was named an IRA Teachers’ Choice in 2005. His other books with Sleeping Bear Press include The Last Brother and M is for Meow: A Cat Alphabet. Robert lives in historic Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

TITANIC SINKS! TOTALLY TRUE ADVENTURES

Recommended ages 7 – 11
Grades 2 – 6
Chapter book.

On April 10, 1912, more than 2,200 people boarded the luxurious ocean liner Titanic for her first voyage. Experts said that the Titanic was “unsinkable.” But after just a few days at sea, it suddenly crashed with an iceberg, and the “unsinkable” ship sank!

To this day, the wreck of the Titanic lies at the bottom of the ocean. Read this incredible true story and unlock the secrets of the deep!

Author: Thomas Conklin

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

KEY HUNTERS : THE TITANIC TREASURE

Recommended ages 7 – 11
Grades 2 – 6
Historical Fiction chapter book.

Getting lost in a good book has never been this dangerous!

Cleo and Evan have a secret. A collection of books so dangerous they are locked up tight. And only they can find the keys to release the magic inside!

A FORTUNE LOST AT SEA!

When Cleo and Evan set sail on the Titanic, time is not on their side! The famous ocean liner is destined to hit an iceberg. If they can stop a thief from stealing a priceless jeweled book — and find their next key — they might avoid sinking with the ship in this historic disaster!

Author: Eric Luper

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

TITANIC : VOICES FROM THE DISASTER

Recommended ages 8 – 14
Grades 3 – 8
Historical Narrative chapter book.

“Hopkinson’s reporting is so rich with information that it will be equally fascinating to young readers and adults alike.” — Los Angeles Times

“Nonfiction at its best.” –Kirkus Reviews

Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson pieces together the harrowing, tragic story of the TITANIC in this Sibert Honor volume. Now in paperback! 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.

Author: Deborah Hopkinson

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

TITANIC BY KORMAN VOLUMES 1, 2, OR 3

Grade 4 – 8
Historical Fiction chapter book

TITANIC – BOOK ONE: UNSINKABLE
The ultimate action/adventure trilogy begins, with #1 bestselling author Gordon Korman plunging readers into the heart of the Titanic.

The Titanic is meant to be unsinkable, but as it begins its maiden voyage, there’s plenty of danger waiting for four of its young passengers. Paddy is a stowaway, escaping a deadly past. Sophie’s mother is delivered to the ship by police – after she and Sophie have been arrested. Juliana’s father is an eccentric whose riches can barely hide his madness. And Alfie is hiding a secret that could get him kicked off the ship immediately. The lives of these four passengers will be forever linked with the fate of Titanic. And the farther they get from shore, the more the danger looms. . . .

TITANIC – BOOK TWO: COLLISION COURSE
From bestselling author Gordon Korman, a second heart-stopping adventure aboard the unluckiest ship of all.

The Titanic has hit the high seas–and moves steadily toward its doom. Within the luxury of the cabins and the dark underbelly of the ship, mysteries unfold–a secret killer who may be on board, a legacy that may be jeopardized, and a vital truth that will soon be revealed. For Paddy, Sophie, Juliana, and Alfie, life on the Titanic brings both hiding and seeking, as their lives become irrevocably intertwined. And then, of course, an iceberg appears, and the stage is set for the final scene.

TITANIC – BOOK THREE: S.O.S.
From bestselling author Gordon Korman, the thrilling conclusion to the adventure aboard the unluckiest ship of all.

The Titanic was supposed to be unsinkable – the largest passenger steamship in the world, one of the biggest and most luxurious ships ever to operate. For Paddy, Sophie, Juliana, and Alfie, the Titanic is full of mysteries – whether they’re to be found in the opulent first-class cabins and promenade decks or the shadows in the underbelly of the ship. Secrets and plans are about to be revealed – only now disaster looms, and time is running out. The four of them need to find the truth, unmask the killer…and try not to go down with the ship.

Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

TITANIC: TRUE STORIES OF HER PASSENGERS, CREW, AND LEGACY

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Recommended for Teens to Adults
Historical Narrative. Nonfiction. Hardback Edition.
This book commemorates the enduring legacy of the world’s most famous ship – TITANIC.

Her story is one of all those bound together on that fateful voyage. On board were: writers, artists, honeymooners, sportsmen, priests, reverends, fashion designers, aristocrats, millionaires, children, crew and emigrants looking for a better life.

This book tells of their lives, and shines the spotlight on:

  • Some of the great ship’s surprising treasures
  • Her fêted voyage from Belfast’s Harland & Wolff shipyard
  • The fascinating museums devoted to her memory, including Titanic Belfast
  • The iconic music and movies
  • Her winged and four-legged passengers
  • The sister ships of Olympic and Britannic
  • Tales of heroism
  • Theories surrounding Titanic’s fatal collision
  • The lifeboats and just how close the SS Californian was on that tragic night
  • How Arctic explorer Ernest Shackleton and the inquiries viewed events
  • These stories and much more lie inside.
Titanic's Officer Buster’s Reading List

THE DRESSMAKER BY KATE ALCOTT

Recommended for Teens to Adults
Historical Fiction novel.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she’s had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be her personal maid on the Titanic. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men—a kind sailor and an enigmatic Chicago businessman—who offer differing views of what lies ahead for her in America. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes, and amidst the chaos, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat.

The survivors are rescued and taken to New York, but when rumors begin to circulate about the choices they made, Tess is forced to confront a serious question. Did Lady Duff Gordon save herself at the expense of others? Torn between loyalty to Lucile and her growing suspicion that the media’s charges might be true, Tess must decide whether to stay quiet and keep her fiery mentor’s good will or face what might be true and forever change her future.

Author: Kate Alcott