David Stewart and David Antram (how many Davids does it take to write a book?), along with Children's Press have come up with a brilliant idea of how to help kids develop a love of reading non-fiction. The book has a design similar to DK Eyewitness books, but has cartoons instead of real pictures. It also include short comics and comical "Handy Hints" ("If you are fortunate enough to get a place on a lifeboat, take plenty of blankets and warm clothes. It will be freezing out there on the open sea."), all the while putting you in the shoes of Mr. J. Bruce Ismay - designer [and coward] of the Titanic. You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic takes you on the entire journey, from the creation of the great liner to the rescuing of its survivors. This book is a great choice for kids who only like cartoons or graphic novels, all the way to those who love Tolstoy. The book is full of facts (and includes a glossary), but the pages are short (except for the page about what was carried on the Titanic - makes it hard to imagine what modern cruise liners must carry) and colorful so children won't even realize how much they're learning. David & David are able to educate while entertaining, and are able to do so on such a dismal subject without being too depressing; yet they are not in denial about the event either, as a death is mentioned, and some of the more grim pictures depict [cartoon] people falling off the ship, and even ice in the hair of those stuck in the Atlantic.
Amazon recommends this book for ages 9-12.
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