A British 12-year-old stowed away aboard the Titanic becomes swept up into intrigue in this increasingly tense historical novel set on the ill-fated 1912 voyage. Having left her rural life behind and finding that she lacks sufficient means to pay her fare after arriving in Southampton, Hazel Rothbury sneaks aboard the Titanic in a steam trunk. Aboard the ship, porter Charlie Blight finds her a place to sleep, and Sylvia Thorngood, a first-class passenger Hazel's age, and her governess, invite Hazel into a world of finery and opulence. Though the factory work that awaits Hazel in New York promises to help her support her widowed mother and siblings, the quick-witted tween dreams of life as a journalist, and her inquisitive nature quickly finds her embroiled in mysteries aboard the ship. Nielsen (Lines of Courage) attentively sketches the Titanic's allure ("as powerful as the Titans of mythology, and as elegant as... a floating castle") and details its social hierarchy, seeding anticipation as the winning young heroine learns more about the ship's inner workings, notices warnings about icebergs and the ship's wake, and looks into two con artists targeting her newfound friends. It all makes for an engrossing portrait of an infamous maiden journey. Protagonists read as white; an author's note separates fact from fiction. Ages 8--12. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. (Mar.)

Hazel Rothbury stows aboard the Titanic and finds friendships in unexpected quarters before tragedy strikes in Nielsen's latest. When British 12-year-old Hazel, uneducated but resourceful, sneaks aboard the famous ship, it's with a promise that she'll repay her ticket upon publishing an article that "tell[s] the great story of this ship." Hazel befriends a companion in first class and, under the tutelage of an older passenger, is dogged in her pursuit of information about the ship's design and vulnerabilities, offering readers insights to many factors that contributed to the seafaring tragedy. During her journalistic research, Hazel stumbles upon a mystery involving the finances and identities of fellow passengers, and makes questionable if well-meaning efforts to unravel the truth. Some readers may find Hazel's timely eavesdropping and immediate mastery of Morse code a bit convenient, but this story of perseverance and survival should please readers who enjoy historical fiction with heroism and a heavy sense of foreboding. Includes images throughout, most being documents recreated by the author, and a note parsing facts from the story's fiction.

Gr 5 Up--Nielsen weaves mystery and action in her newest historical fiction novel. Readers join Hazel as she boards the Titanic, heading to America for the opportunity to obtain a job with her aunt in a factory. Her journey is not by choice, but of necessity, as the income will help support her family who recently lost their father. From the beginning of the story, Hazel faces numerous difficulties because of her gender, age, and poverty. Yet Hazel's inquisitiveness introduces her to new friends, a few foes, and lands her in the middle of a big mystery that involves both. Layer on top the impending problems awaiting the Titanic, and readers will find themselves unable to stop turning pages to find out what happens to Hazel, her friends, and everyone aboard the doomed ship. Nielsen creates engaging, authentic characters who pull readers in, making the plot both compelling and believable. VERDICT Fans of historical fiction and Nielsen's other novels will be riveted by Hazel and her friends' plight across the Atlantic aboard the Titanic.--Jennifer Seebauer