Titanic Phenomenon Sparks Trend in Reading for Children and Young Adults

Posted on May 19, 1998

There is a growing trend among children and teens -- reading all that is written on the infamous journey of the Titanic. While the Titanic movie is the biggest grossing movie of all time and the soundtrack continues to dominate the charts, children of all ages have also been flocking to their local libraries and bookstores for more on the mighty ship. Scholastic, a publisher of books for kids of all ages, has sold over 2 million copies of its six fiction and non-fiction Titanic books, including a Leonardo DiCaprio scrapbook. Several of Scholastic's Titanic titles continue to appear on bestseller lists including Titanic Crossing, which was #3 on Publishers Weekly Fiction Bestsellers List in April.

"One of the most wonderful aspects of the Titanic phenomenon is that teens and pre-teens are now showing an increased fascination for books on the Titanic," said Barbara Marcus, Executive Vice President, Scholastic Books. "Due to the appeal of the movie, children are interested in reading about history, the tragedy, and the heartthrob, Leo. It's the true story of the Titanic that fascinates young readers."

Scholastic's current Titanic-based titles include: Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams; Exploring the Titanic by Robert D. Ballard and Ken Marschall; Finding the Titanic by Robert D. Ballard with paintings by Ken Marschall; Titanic: The Long Night by Diane Hoh; Travelers Through Time #1: Back to the Titanic! by Beatrice Gormley; and Lovin' Leo: Your Leonardo DiCaprio Keepsake Scrapbook.

In response to the overwhelming demand for books on the Titanic, Scholastic will be releasing three new titles based on the Titanic: 882-1/2 Amazing Answers To Your Questions About the Titanic (December 1998; $16.95; Ages 8-12) by Barbara Hehner and Laurie Coulter with illustrations by Ken Marschall; Exploring the Titanic (Repackaged; December 1998; $15.95; Ages 8-12) by Robert D. Ballard and Ken Marschall and Dear America - Voyage of the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady; RMS Titanic, 1912 (September 1998; $9.95; Ages 9-14) by Ellen Emerson White.