Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America)
Ellen Emerson White
Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady
by Ellen Emerson White
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The salty breeze stings your cheeks as the massive ship creaks and groans beneath your feet. You can hear the excited chatter of passengers, the clinking of china, and suddenly, a distant, chilling rumble shakes the deck. This voyage is supposed to be a dream come true, but the night holds a secret that will change everything.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade historical fiction novel follows Margaret Ann, a young girl who becomes a companion to an American woman aboard the Titanic. Through her diary entries, readers experience the excitement of the voyage and the harrowing events of the ship's sinking. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book deals with themes of survival, family, and loss in an age-appropriate manner.
Why we rated Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America) 9ME
Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America) is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 197 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America) works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America) as 9ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Loss & Grief, Fear & Anxiety, Survival.
Thematically, Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America) explores adventure, family, survival, historical, and orphans & foster homes — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, family, survival.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780545238342
- Pages
- 197
- Publisher
- Scholastic Press
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction