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Titanic Crossing
Thirteen-year-old Albert Trask is going home to America--on the "Titanic!" Albert's bossy grandmother is forcing his widowed mother to return from England, where she took her chidren after their father died. Neither Mother nor Virginia, Albert's spoiled little sister, is very happy about the voyage. But nobody can dampen Albert's enthusiasm about sailing on the biggest, most luxurious ocean liner ever built--not even Emily, a know-it-all girl who thinks the ship doesn't have enough lifeboats. Everyone knows the "Titanic" is unsinkable!Albert can't wait to see his friends back home, play baseball, and have fun. But when the "Titanic" hits an iceberg and begins to sink, he suddenly faces adult decisions. Can he save Virginia's life---and his own...?
The sinking of the "Titanic," one of the gretest maritime diasters of all time, has fascianted the world for over eighty years. This ripping and fast-paced novel puts human faces on the tragedy as it shows us one boy's viliant passage to manhood.
The sinking of the "Titanic," one of the gretest maritime diasters of all time, has fascianted the world for over eighty years. This ripping and fast-paced novel puts human faces on the tragedy as it shows us one boy's viliant passage to manhood.
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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818 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
February 21, 2020
I love almost any literature, fiction or non-fiction, about the Titanic. And this book is great, one of my favorites. I first read it at 12 and have reread it many times since.
March 28, 2012
"Titanic Crossing" is a story about a 13 year old boy named Albert Trask, who is going back to America so he and his family can be closer to Alberts grandmother. Mrs. Trask and little Virginia don't want to leave. But when Albert and Virginia's uncle comes to London, they are left with no choice. Albert is the only one excited to go, because not only does he get to go to actual school(he was home schooled), and see his new friends, but he also gets to go there on the one and only, "Titanic!" He cannot wait to sketch the boat, eat the high quality food, and stay in second class! But this changes when something goes wrong, as the boat hits an iceberg. When the boat sinks, he is faced with serious, traumatizing decisions, that no child should ever have to face. Can Albert save his sister, Virginias life? If not his own?
October 16, 2019
Titanic Crossing by Barbra Williams is a fictional book about an event in history. Albert lost his dad leaving him to be the man of his family. He is crossing the Atlantic ocean going from Europe to America on the luxurious Titanic. When the ship hits an iceberg Albert has to make big decisions , he has to chose whether he should stay on the ship and look for his mother or immediately head up to the deck with his little sister.
April 22, 2009
The story of the Titanic told through the eyes of a 12 year old boy from a wealthy family. I found it to be a great way for young kids to gain an understanding of the awful events surrounding the "unsinkable" ship and its place in history. The book is written as a historical fiction and allows children to relate to the main character.
October 9, 2020
One day I was attending a virtual learning program for school. I was sitting in my dining room listening to my English teacher on my device. Little did I know my teacher assigned the whole class a book reading assignment called Red Dot. After multiple series of slight panic attacks, I was scrambling recklessly through my bookshelf and found an interesting book that caught my attention called, Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams.
While reading Titanic Crossing, Barbara Williams uses a 13-year old boy named Albert to help the reader to imagine a child’s point of view of a once-in-a-lifetime experience on the Titanic. After reading the whole book I would recommend reading Titanic Crossing because it explains Albert’s side
of the experience of the Titanic in a kid-friendly way for younger readers to understand more easily. Another recommendation for reading Titanic Crossing is the dialogue choice that Barbara Williams uses in the story makes the reader feel like they are exactly in the book experimenting with what Albert’s characters had to go through throughout the whole book. In conclusion,I would highly recommend reading Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams.
While reading Titanic Crossing, Barbara Williams uses a 13-year old boy named Albert to help the reader to imagine a child’s point of view of a once-in-a-lifetime experience on the Titanic. After reading the whole book I would recommend reading Titanic Crossing because it explains Albert’s side
of the experience of the Titanic in a kid-friendly way for younger readers to understand more easily. Another recommendation for reading Titanic Crossing is the dialogue choice that Barbara Williams uses in the story makes the reader feel like they are exactly in the book experimenting with what Albert’s characters had to go through throughout the whole book. In conclusion,I would highly recommend reading Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams.
April 20, 2024
DNF'd about 1/3 of the way through. I got tired of the whiny little sister and the weirdness between the extremely un-motherly mother and the uncle. I felt like the book was not well written - whether the writer was trying to simplify it for a younger audience, or just preferred to write that way, I don't know. It felt too juvenile, choppy and simplistic. It was on a list of books that were considered classics, and I'm not sure why. Might have been a good story, I'm not sure, as I never got to the action. Others have mentioned that the action doesn't occur until late in the story. I don't often DNF a story, but this one wasn't worth reading, IMO. Especially when there are so many other good books out there, and not enough time to read them all.
January 18, 2021
I didn’t read the synopsis and was thinking this book was going to be exactly like the movie, and it wasn’t. I actually really liked the story/point of view of a different person on the Titanic and couldn’t put the book down. Though, I kind of felt like more could’ve been added to the story like maybe a love interest or something more exciting. Overall, I was satisfied with the ending.
May 19, 2013
SHIP OF DREAMS AND DELUSIONS
Thirteen-year-old Albert is returning home to America afer
spending some time in England. With him are his not-so-recently widowed mother, his bratty little sister, and their authoritative uncle. The party has mixed emotions about the highly advertized crossing; there are many arguments, threats and "scenes" as they each pursue their private agendas. It is clear to Albert that his mother is merely a pawn for their rich, domineering grandmother.
When his sister makes friends with a missionary family in Second Class, companion-starved Albert is forced to spend time with a girl a year younger than himself, but he'd rather be alone with his sketch pad, to capture the mechanical details of the wonder ship on her maiden voyage. He tries to help his mother in her financial despair and to keep the immediate family together, yet free of Grandmother's manipulative pursestrings.
Nothing has been resolved when the ship srtikes the fateful iceberg in the dead of a calm, dark night, April 15, 1912--a night that will live in Destiny--when a boy suddenly comes of age. This story is written from a youth's point of view, but on this voyage Albert wants to be considered a man. In fact his long pants--first time worn--nearly keep him out of a lifeboat (based on actual fact).
Elementary children reading this book will also learn many facts about the Titanic's construction, her exotic passenger list, the dangers of human pride and error. The historical setting reveals pre World War I prejudice against Actresses and Suffragettes. His mother mentions Ibsen's new play, The Doll's House, all of which combine to create an authentic background. Albert suddenly has to make adult, life-saving decisions which can cost or save his own! This is an easy and enjoyable book, which will entertain and inform young readers.
(June 28, 2011. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
Thirteen-year-old Albert is returning home to America afer
spending some time in England. With him are his not-so-recently widowed mother, his bratty little sister, and their authoritative uncle. The party has mixed emotions about the highly advertized crossing; there are many arguments, threats and "scenes" as they each pursue their private agendas. It is clear to Albert that his mother is merely a pawn for their rich, domineering grandmother.
When his sister makes friends with a missionary family in Second Class, companion-starved Albert is forced to spend time with a girl a year younger than himself, but he'd rather be alone with his sketch pad, to capture the mechanical details of the wonder ship on her maiden voyage. He tries to help his mother in her financial despair and to keep the immediate family together, yet free of Grandmother's manipulative pursestrings.
Nothing has been resolved when the ship srtikes the fateful iceberg in the dead of a calm, dark night, April 15, 1912--a night that will live in Destiny--when a boy suddenly comes of age. This story is written from a youth's point of view, but on this voyage Albert wants to be considered a man. In fact his long pants--first time worn--nearly keep him out of a lifeboat (based on actual fact).
Elementary children reading this book will also learn many facts about the Titanic's construction, her exotic passenger list, the dangers of human pride and error. The historical setting reveals pre World War I prejudice against Actresses and Suffragettes. His mother mentions Ibsen's new play, The Doll's House, all of which combine to create an authentic background. Albert suddenly has to make adult, life-saving decisions which can cost or save his own! This is an easy and enjoyable book, which will entertain and inform young readers.
(June 28, 2011. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
February 16, 2017
This book makes you feel all kinds of different feelings, mother and uncle clay born get into all kinds of different arguments, including one about moving.
The Titanic hits an iceberg and starts to sink. Virginia and Jackson make it out alive, but will mother and uncle clay survive as well?
The Titanic hits an iceberg and starts to sink. Virginia and Jackson make it out alive, but will mother and uncle clay survive as well?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2025
5 stars. I've read a lot of Titanic books. Basically every one I could get my hands on, in fact. This one was pretty unique because instead of the sinking being a total surprise, Albert had already wondered about the lifeboats and then about the ice. Maybe it seems a little unrealistic, but kids can be pretty smart and they can overhear a lot, so to me, it seems really realistic. The whole story is heart-tugging and a little... pathetic. In the I-want-to-sweep-you-up-in-my-arms-and-protect-you type of pathetic. Emily was a great character as well. I didn't like Uncle Clay much, and Albert's mother was worse--but I liked Virginia, at the end, and I don't blame her for the way she was, really. I'm sure Albert helped her straighten out. <33 I liked that although the kids bickered, you saw that they really did love and care about each other and trusted each other. There were a few mild euphemisms, also a short conversation about Mrs. Astor being enceinte & Mr. Astor's divorce, and Albert's embarrassment during this conversation, especially when Emily explains to Virginia that being enceinte is with child. There's nothing untoward, I just didn't care for that scene, personally, though I understood how Albert felt! I ended up liking Lowe after reading this, haha, and I love to think the guy who saved Albert was Lightoller. <3 In short, this is a sweet, unique, interesting Titanic story and I love it.
April 13, 2010
I loved this book, and completely forgot I owned it until I unpacked a box recently. We actually had to buy and read this for school in 6th grade, during an entire Titanic-filled semester. I was such a Titanic buff even then, that I was the big nerd who read ahead in this and finished it when we were only supposed to be on the 2nd chapter.
I haven't read this in years though. The only thing I remember is that the main character is 12 (I think) and they tell him he cannot enter a lifeboat because he is no longer a child, he is a man.
I think I need to reread this immediately!!!
I haven't read this in years though. The only thing I remember is that the main character is 12 (I think) and they tell him he cannot enter a lifeboat because he is no longer a child, he is a man.
I think I need to reread this immediately!!!
November 7, 2010
This is a fictional chapter book about a young boys encounters on the Titanic. Several 5th grade students informed me that they read this book and thought it was interesting and they said they would recommend it to their friends.
This book is a good chapter book to introduce 4th graders to, the words are not too complex and most of the students are familiar with the subject matter--so they already have background knowledge.
This book is a good chapter book to introduce 4th graders to, the words are not too complex and most of the students are familiar with the subject matter--so they already have background knowledge.
September 13, 2013
this story is about a boy named Albert trask that sailed on the Titanic to America. his
sister always pretended to be "sick".
sister always pretended to be "sick".
March 6, 2019
A blend between fact and fiction. This book had a lot of heart felt moments and really makes you put in to perspective what really happened when the titanic sank. This book is very descriptive and makes you feel like you are right along with everyone else sailing on the Atlantic Ocean. The situation of the life boat shortage was a really big problem thinking that they would get away with only a few hundred boats along the side. I also think that the people riding on the titanic were not the type of people to think of the worst and think this was going to work out okay.
In this family based book a boy named Albert ventures on the Titanic with his Uncle, his mother, and his sister Virginia. While taking a late night stroll Alberts feels a big bump and the engines go offf. He tries to tell himself that it’s okay and the Titanic will not start sinking. As soon as he snaps out of it and realizes that the Titanic is going to sink and he needs to get his mother and uncle back up from the third class and to second class where there cabin is but first he has to get Virginia who is locked in the room.
My personal thoughts on this book are that it was very easy to comprehend and understand. I think this book would be appropriate for anyone under 11 who loves learning about history especially the Titanic. The author made sure to tell the complete story of what there background was. Where were they going? Who were they going to see? Why were they going there? All those questions had been clearly answered by the author. The format of the book is a standard one where they start off in the beginning and move towards what happened.
The theme of the Titanic Crossing would be never get to caught up in anger because before you know it you could see them get. I feel this is the theme because everyone is getting edgy and mad about where they are and when they are going to get there. The mother and uncle are both arguing with each other, Virginia and Albert are both arguing with each other and everyone is just a,ways annoyed with one another. I feel like the author made this pretty clear because they were many situations where on family member was arguing with each other.
Overall I would give this book a 3 1/2 because I felt like it was a different perspective than all the other Titanic stories I have heard but I could always guess what was going to happen. Whenever something major happened you always new that it was coming up. For example, when the ship hit an ice berg and Albert was there at the right time you could have predicted that when it said he was going for a walk. Overall, this would be a perfect book for 11 year olds who want a easy quick book to read.
In this family based book a boy named Albert ventures on the Titanic with his Uncle, his mother, and his sister Virginia. While taking a late night stroll Alberts feels a big bump and the engines go offf. He tries to tell himself that it’s okay and the Titanic will not start sinking. As soon as he snaps out of it and realizes that the Titanic is going to sink and he needs to get his mother and uncle back up from the third class and to second class where there cabin is but first he has to get Virginia who is locked in the room.
My personal thoughts on this book are that it was very easy to comprehend and understand. I think this book would be appropriate for anyone under 11 who loves learning about history especially the Titanic. The author made sure to tell the complete story of what there background was. Where were they going? Who were they going to see? Why were they going there? All those questions had been clearly answered by the author. The format of the book is a standard one where they start off in the beginning and move towards what happened.
The theme of the Titanic Crossing would be never get to caught up in anger because before you know it you could see them get. I feel this is the theme because everyone is getting edgy and mad about where they are and when they are going to get there. The mother and uncle are both arguing with each other, Virginia and Albert are both arguing with each other and everyone is just a,ways annoyed with one another. I feel like the author made this pretty clear because they were many situations where on family member was arguing with each other.
Overall I would give this book a 3 1/2 because I felt like it was a different perspective than all the other Titanic stories I have heard but I could always guess what was going to happen. Whenever something major happened you always new that it was coming up. For example, when the ship hit an ice berg and Albert was there at the right time you could have predicted that when it said he was going for a walk. Overall, this would be a perfect book for 11 year olds who want a easy quick book to read.
September 25, 2018
Inspired by factual events, the author tells the story of one rather dysfunctional family as they leave England on the Titanic little knowing what lay ahead. The main character is a young boy just barely old enough to be allowed to wear long pants and how he is thrust into adulthood as the story progresses. When the ship is sinking, he is told that he is too old for the lifeboats (even though it means sending his 6 year old sister off alone) and that he needs to "be a man".
The book is best geared to readers in late elementary school or early highschool.
The book is best geared to readers in late elementary school or early highschool.
April 18, 2022
If you love the Titanic then this book is for you. This book has great historical information along with tying it to a character that you will love. You grow to love the character and when he faces the challenge of helping his sister survive you feel as though you are right there with him. I thought this book to be well written and feel as though you are in the story with the characters! Highly highly recommend!
April 16, 2018
It is so beautiful (I think it is different from the movie because I haven't watched the movie.) It is about this family who are going on the titanic and their family is in trouble. It is from the point of view of Albert who is 13 and is really happy about going back to America.....
It is really amazing!!
It is really amazing!!
January 30, 2018
Overall I did enjoy reading this book, but I feel that they could have added some more information to make it more interesting and grab the readers attention. It was quite boring until it was nearing the end of the story, the author did do a nice job with the end of the book.
May 13, 2017
i loved this book. It is really well written, i would recommend this for anyone that is very obsessed with the titanic. This book is sad and will bring tears to your eyes!! Love this book
March 19, 2018
barbara williams
April 24, 2018
A very good book
November 23, 2019
Read this to Jackson my 8 year old who has a deep fascination with all things Titanic. Very detailed story depicting what life was like in 1912 for a second class family.
December 1, 2020
I don't know what intrigues me about titanic stories
January 12, 2021
Why do I read so many titanic stories?
November 19, 2023
It was really good but it was a bit short of action in the book itself with the titanic sinking I thought there would be a lot more action
October 13, 2024
LIkeable characters and a good little history lesson. Perpetuated a bunch of the false titanic myths which irritated this Titanic buff but all and all not bad.
February 23, 2017
This was a great book (and a fabulous first pick for our family bookclub, thanks to E!). I really enjoyed reading about Albert and Emily, and how they handled each situation - they were very different from each other, and very different from children today (in my opinion). There was no mention of Emily in the final chapter - I wish there had been! The author's postscript was interesting, and made me want to read a few more Titanic books by passengers who survived. A great read for kids interested in the Titanic. It was perfect for my 8 year old son.
April 22, 2012
My ten year old daughter grabbed this book off the library shelf. I was looking for a rather easy read, so I snatched it from *her* shelf.
Titanic Crossing is, obviously, a story about a boy crossing the ocean on the Titanic. As people said about the movie, you already know how THAT ends. But, of course, you don't know the individual plights of the characters the author created.
Most of the story is focused on the crossing itself, with only a few chapters tuned to the sinking. In fact, from the moment our main character goes into the water, we see very little of what happens "after" - the ship actually going underwater, the time in the lifeboat spent waiting. As an adult reader, this felt abrupt, but in retrospect, for the younger crowd, that time would probably be a bit too intense if treated appropriately.
I enjoyed the characters, and felt their interactions were believable. Albert, 13, is constantly annoyed by his six year old sister, even after he tries to be the "man" of the family after his father's passing. He makes new friends - albeit grudgingly - on the ship. When events come to a head, he is in many ways rather fortunate. (For instance, I didn't actually think that even many of the second class passengers were saved?) But in other ways, the fact that he is a young man on the Titanic work against him.
Overall, a good story, and one I intend to recommend to my son. Though the protagonist is a boy, I felt girls would equally empathize with much of his plight.
Titanic Crossing is, obviously, a story about a boy crossing the ocean on the Titanic. As people said about the movie, you already know how THAT ends. But, of course, you don't know the individual plights of the characters the author created.
Most of the story is focused on the crossing itself, with only a few chapters tuned to the sinking. In fact, from the moment our main character goes into the water, we see very little of what happens "after" - the ship actually going underwater, the time in the lifeboat spent waiting. As an adult reader, this felt abrupt, but in retrospect, for the younger crowd, that time would probably be a bit too intense if treated appropriately.
I enjoyed the characters, and felt their interactions were believable. Albert, 13, is constantly annoyed by his six year old sister, even after he tries to be the "man" of the family after his father's passing. He makes new friends - albeit grudgingly - on the ship. When events come to a head, he is in many ways rather fortunate. (For instance, I didn't actually think that even many of the second class passengers were saved?) But in other ways, the fact that he is a young man on the Titanic work against him.
Overall, a good story, and one I intend to recommend to my son. Though the protagonist is a boy, I felt girls would equally empathize with much of his plight.
March 21, 2015
Titanic Crossing had a great mix of fact and fiction. I enjoyed reading it a lot! I'm not sure about the author's descriptions of the ship itself, they seemed a bit off (Now that I've read Titanic Sinks!), but that might just be me, right? :P
I really did like this book- A LOT! The author added great characters, and Albert Trask was a fun main character, although his little sister, Virginia (Ginny, age 6), can be especially irritating at times. Claybourne, Albert's uncle, was a bit irritating too, but was a great character. Emily Brewer, was a good add to the story, but seemed a bit stuck up at times, which might or might not've been the author's goal. I still enjoyed having someone Albert's age in the story….and besides they become good friends. The parts surrounding the sinking of the Titanic were great, but the actually sinking or the hours waiting for the Carpathia are not told, probably because Barbara Williams didn't want it to be too much for younger readers, which was fine, I actually enjoyed it.
It's also cool that Barbara Williams based Albert's character on a real boy whom she'd read and article about. The boy wasn't permitted entrance to a lifeboat because he was considered a man.
I actually really like this book, and have read it at least three times…Barbara Williams did a great job with this novel. It's an easy read, enjoyable, well-written…I would recommend!!!! It's a great book. I love it!
I really did like this book- A LOT! The author added great characters, and Albert Trask was a fun main character, although his little sister, Virginia (Ginny, age 6), can be especially irritating at times. Claybourne, Albert's uncle, was a bit irritating too, but was a great character. Emily Brewer, was a good add to the story, but seemed a bit stuck up at times, which might or might not've been the author's goal. I still enjoyed having someone Albert's age in the story….and besides they become good friends. The parts surrounding the sinking of the Titanic were great, but the actually sinking or the hours waiting for the Carpathia are not told, probably because Barbara Williams didn't want it to be too much for younger readers, which was fine, I actually enjoyed it.
It's also cool that Barbara Williams based Albert's character on a real boy whom she'd read and article about. The boy wasn't permitted entrance to a lifeboat because he was considered a man.
I actually really like this book, and have read it at least three times…Barbara Williams did a great job with this novel. It's an easy read, enjoyable, well-written…I would recommend!!!! It's a great book. I love it!
April 17, 2015
In April 1912, thirteen-year-old Albert Trask , after living a number of years in London, is sailing with his widowed mother, six-year-old sister Virginia, and his Uncle Clayborne (his late father’s brother) on the Titanic. It is Albert’s bossy grandmother’s idea that the family head back to Washington. While Albert is fascinated with the gleaming new ship, Virginia is apprehensive about going, as is Albert’s mother. He even allays the fears of know-it-all Emily about whether there is a suffiecient number of lifeboats. After all, says Albert, Titanic is “unsinkable.” When Titanic hits an iceberg and begins to sink, Albert realizes the road to manhood is closer than he thinks, and is now determined that his father’s wishes be carried out.
In the setting of the tragic Titanic disaster, other people around him have their ideas of who Albert should be. Only Albert can decide who he really wants to be, and he does learn to assert himself. Very readable coming of age novel that gives a good feel for what it was like on Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage. Will appeal to grades 5-8.
In the setting of the tragic Titanic disaster, other people around him have their ideas of who Albert should be. Only Albert can decide who he really wants to be, and he does learn to assert himself. Very readable coming of age novel that gives a good feel for what it was like on Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage. Will appeal to grades 5-8.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews