Dangerous Waters

February 20, 2012
This caper initially seems at odds with its doomed setting, yet Mone quickly entices readers with criminal intrigue, characters who range from eccentric to entirely ordinary, and, of course, the singular setting that is the Titanic. Among the more ordinary characters are Patrick and James Waters, Belfast brothers who work on board, burly James as a boiler room trimmer and bookish Patrick as a steward. Patrick, 12, becomes embroiled in a tug-of-war between Harry Widener (of Harvard library fame), a collector of rare books, and Rockwell and Berryman, two rogues determined to nab Widener’s prized copy of Sir Francis Bacon’s Essaies. While Rockwell and Berryman’s attempts at thievery lend a comedic note (Berryman dons ridiculous disguises, while pretentious Rockwell eats incessantly and praises his accomplice’s “delightfully malleable” morals), the bond between Patrick and Widener gives the story heart. Mone displays solid knowledge of the facts: there are numerous real-life cameos on the ship, and his descriptions of shipboard life, the Titanic’s sinking, and the survivors’ rescue are impressively vivid. Ages 9–12. Agent: Ken Wright, Writers House.

January 15, 2012
Patrick, an Irish lad, finagles his way on board the Titanic where he becomes a steward to book-collector Harry Widener and becomes embroiled in an intrigue revolving around Widener's copy of Sir Francis Bacon's Essaies. The rare edition is said to contain, in code, a formula for great wealth. A pair of villains, as theatrically eccentric as any created by Willkie Collins, want the book. After failing to steal it, the thieves ask Patrick to procure the Essaies for them in return for a fee. In a sensible response that will echo readers' reactions, Patrick replies, "Why not ask him [Widener] to borrow it?" For although the inequalities of class, wealth and education are running themes in the story, they do not provide adequate motive for theft. Nor is Patrick's ensuing moral dilemma--should he steal the book to help his heroic brother, who has fallen ill while laboring on the ship?--entirely convincing. The pacing falters, and, although the descriptions are magnificent, that the action takes place on the Titanic is almost inconsequential except for the threat that the formula may be lost forever. Throughout, Patrick learns much about himself, his family and Bacon's great secret. The author's note describing the real Harry Widener and his copy of Essaies may be one of the more gripping aspects of the book. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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April 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-Patrick Waters, a 12-year-old from Ireland, blesses his luck when he has a chance to work aboard the Titanic, even if his stamina makes him better suited to be a steward than an engine-room trimmer like his older brother James. He develops a friendship with Harry Widener (a real passenger), who encourages him to read and discuss the works of Francis Bacon. They soon realize that Harry's rare copy of Bacon's Essaies has lured two thieves to the ship. Archibald Rockwell yearns to possess the alchemical secrets he believes Bacon encoded within its pages, so he hired John Berryman, an unscrupulous thief and disguise artist, to steal the book. When the vessel hits the iceberg, the struggles for the treasure and for survival merge into a dramatic ending. Patrick and Harry's discussions about Francis Bacon strengthen this lively adventure into a rich novel. Harry's influence helps the boy understand how knowledge can shape a person's life. Mone seamlessly integrates details of the Titanic and its fate into Patrick's story, and his passages about the ocean voyage are vivid, even lyrical. He describes the ocean as "an aquatic desert without a single dune." Secondary characters, including James, Patrick's friend Emily, and the two villains receive thorough treatment and avoid being stock characters. While many children are rapt readers of any Titanic material, Mone's story rises above the standard.-Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2012
Grades 4-7 Here is yet another what-if tale about the Titanic expanded from a smidgen of fact. Out to prove he can work for a living, 12-year-old Patrick steals a Titanic work slip and hops aboard the ship to work with the same engine-room Black Gang as his brother. After fainting while shoveling, he is instead installed among the waitstaff as the demigod of spit, cleaning out the ship's numerous spittoons. Soon he's befriended by a rare-book collector who, unbeknownst to either of them, is the target of two scoundrels hoping to steal a first-edition Francis Bacon that just might have the secret of alchemy hidden within its pages. Mone spins a capable caper, complete with villains so nasty you can picture them twiddling their mustaches. The plot overwhelms the sinking-ship element; however, the reading-is-good message is well played and couched within the notion that intellectual pursuits are hard work, too. The explanatory author's note is, of course, fascinating.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)