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The First and Final Voyage: The Sinking of the Titanic
On April 10, 1912, fourteen-year-old Christopher Watkins boards the Titanic with his family. While sailing across the Atlantic, the giant ship strikes an iceberg and begins to sink! Christopher must quickly find a way to save his family.
49 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Stephanie True Peters
129 books9 followers“By all appearances, I am a typical suburban mother,” reports Stephanie True Peters. “I’m forty-three, have two children, Jackson, age 11, and Chloe, age 9, and a husband, Dan, who to me seems ageless. I live in a nice neighborhood in a town just far enough south of Boston to be considered the boonies. I do the grocery shopping, the cleaning (well, sometimes), go to the gym, and operate the ride-on lawnmower with some regularity. Yes, I fit the role of typical suburban mother to a T.
“Perhaps this explains the surprised reactions I receive when I tell people that I write children’s books. ‘You do? Really?’ their raised eyebrows and open mouths seem to say. Then come the usual questions: ‘Have you ever been published? Would I know anything you’ve done?’
“I have, and I certainly hope you recognize the titles of some of my books. (If not, feel free to pick one up sometime—or two, or three . . .)
“That I am able to spend my days at such work is, on the whole, wonderful. I lose myself for hours in imagined scenarios, made-up people, or buried in research into a fascinating topic. I’m here when my kids and husband need me and can take a day off when I need some ‘me’ time. Sometimes I miss the office life I had years ago, when I was an editor at Little, Brown Children’s Books. Then I compare my commute then (a long ride on public transportation) versus now (a short climb up a flight of stairs) and realize just how lucky I am.
“Yet if it hadn’t been for those years with Little, Brown, I wouldn’t have been part of this amazing White House book. It was my old colleague and friend, Hilary Van Dusen, who contacted me about the project. She wanted to include a piece on sports and the presidency. She knew I was tapped into the sports scene because I had edited many of Matt Christopher’s sports books while at Little, Brown—and more recently, had been ghostwriting them.
“In the course of my research for the piece, I learned that many U.S. presidents had ties to the baseball, starting as far back as George Washington. But the story that stuck with me was the one that now appears in the book – the first World Series game to take place after the tragic events of 9/11, and George W. Bush’s throwing of the game’s first pitch.
“Perhaps this explains the surprised reactions I receive when I tell people that I write children’s books. ‘You do? Really?’ their raised eyebrows and open mouths seem to say. Then come the usual questions: ‘Have you ever been published? Would I know anything you’ve done?’
“I have, and I certainly hope you recognize the titles of some of my books. (If not, feel free to pick one up sometime—or two, or three . . .)
“That I am able to spend my days at such work is, on the whole, wonderful. I lose myself for hours in imagined scenarios, made-up people, or buried in research into a fascinating topic. I’m here when my kids and husband need me and can take a day off when I need some ‘me’ time. Sometimes I miss the office life I had years ago, when I was an editor at Little, Brown Children’s Books. Then I compare my commute then (a long ride on public transportation) versus now (a short climb up a flight of stairs) and realize just how lucky I am.
“Yet if it hadn’t been for those years with Little, Brown, I wouldn’t have been part of this amazing White House book. It was my old colleague and friend, Hilary Van Dusen, who contacted me about the project. She wanted to include a piece on sports and the presidency. She knew I was tapped into the sports scene because I had edited many of Matt Christopher’s sports books while at Little, Brown—and more recently, had been ghostwriting them.
“In the course of my research for the piece, I learned that many U.S. presidents had ties to the baseball, starting as far back as George Washington. But the story that stuck with me was the one that now appears in the book – the first World Series game to take place after the tragic events of 9/11, and George W. Bush’s throwing of the game’s first pitch.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 17, 2018
Entertaining and educational, The First and Final Voyage: The Sinking of the Titanic provides young readers with a firsthand look at the grandest ship ever build. The story follows 12-year old Christopher Watkins as he explores the RMS Titanic while sailing to New York with his mother and younger brother. Part storybook, part comic – the book switches between a written narrative and comic panels (depending on the scene). And it does a fairly good balancing act. However, the drawings are rather poor; lacking definition and texture. Also, there are some mixed messages about parental authority; with the mother being depicted as weak so Christopher can step up and be the “man of the family” (per his father’s instructions). Still, the characters are well-written and there are some fun activities in the supplemental materials; including discussion questions and creative exercises. Delivering an exciting adventure, kids are sure to enjoy The First and Final Voyage: The Sinking of the Titanic.
April 6, 2022
"I like this book because it tells you what happened on that terrifying day. It tells you what they tried to do to survive the sinking of the Titanic. I like it because it is a regular book but it's also a graphic novel. I think you should definitely read this book." -Cadee, age 9
February 14, 2025
This short story has graphics that might interest a student. The text is short and provides information for a young student who is trying to learn more about the Titanic.
December 6, 2017
Appropriate grade level: Third Grade
Summary: On April 10, 1912, fourteen-year-old Christopher Watkins boards the Titanic with his family. While sailing across the Atlantic, the giant ship strikes an iceberg and begins to sink! Christopher must quickly find a way to save his family.
Review: This book was a very unique take on the Titanic and what happened in that time. I believe that it is very appropriate for kids to read. It doesn't make a child feel as though it could happen to them, but how the boats have changed through out time.
In-class uses: We can use this to teach the children about our history. They can use this to learn more about their interests. This would be used for independent reading, as well as if we are learning about characters.
Summary: On April 10, 1912, fourteen-year-old Christopher Watkins boards the Titanic with his family. While sailing across the Atlantic, the giant ship strikes an iceberg and begins to sink! Christopher must quickly find a way to save his family.
Review: This book was a very unique take on the Titanic and what happened in that time. I believe that it is very appropriate for kids to read. It doesn't make a child feel as though it could happen to them, but how the boats have changed through out time.
In-class uses: We can use this to teach the children about our history. They can use this to learn more about their interests. This would be used for independent reading, as well as if we are learning about characters.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews