Tonight on the Titanic is the seventeenth installment to the Magic Tree House series. First appearance of friend and ally Teddy though in dog form. The book is preceded by Hour of the Olympics and succeeded Buffalo Before Breakfast.
Synopsis[]
The magic tree house transports Jack and Annie to the deck of the Titanic to find a mysterious gift that will free a mysterious puppy from a terrible magic spell.
Chapters[]
- A New Mission
- The Unsinkable Ship
- SOS
- Put On Your Life Belts!
- William and Lucy
- Women and Children First
- The Gift
- Every Man for Himself
- Time Stops
- A Touch of Magic
Plot[]
One night, Jack and Annie had heard the sound of rain tapping against the window and believed it was calling them to the magic tree house. When they arrived, they found that Morgan le Fay, the enchantress, was absent. Instead, they discovered a small terrier puppy, which they had named Teddy. A note from Morgan explained that the puppy was under a spell, and in order to break it, the children had to collect four special gifts. The note also warned them that their Master Librarian cards would not be helpful for this mission. The first gift on the list was said to come from a ship lost at sea.
After finding a book titled "The Unsinkable Ship" and wishing to visit the setting of the story, Jack and Annie were transported to a spot between the smokestacks of a large ocean liner. Jack had read about the ship, including its voyage date—April 14, 1912. Before they could leave the tree house, they had heard a loud crash as the ship struck an iceberg. The children listened to the sounds of the ice scraping against the hull, and once the noise stopped, Annie had gone outside to investigate, revealing that they were aboard the Titanic.
Although Jack had wanted to leave immediately, Annie was determined to stay and help. They had overheard the captain ordering a crew member to send an SOS, and Jack quickly learned from the book that help would not arrive in time to save the ship. As the crew began loading lifeboats, Jack read more and learned that the ship needed twice as many lifeboats as it had to evacuate all passengers safely. Deciding to assist someone in finding a lifeboat, Jack and Annie had made their way to the third-class deck. As they walked, they encountered many passengers who remained calm and unaware of the danger. Despite Annie’s warnings, they had not taken her seriously. With Teddy’s help, they found two children, William and Lucy, who were on their way to New York to meet their parents.
Annie holds the watch gift as she and Jack mourn those who were lost when the Titantic sunk.
As the four children made their way to the top deck, they continued to come across adults who were unfazed by the situation. Annie tried to warn them, but Jack urged the group to keep moving, mindful of the limited time. At the top deck, Jack and Annie helped William and Lucy find a lifeboat. Just before Lucy boarded, she had given them a silver watch on a chain as a thank you—one of the four special gifts they needed to collect. Jack and Annie then began searching for the tree house as the ship’s stern rose out of the water. Upon reaching the smokestacks, they realized the tree house was missing. As the Titanic continued to sink, Teddy led them to the tree house. They had escaped just as the ship broke apart. Once they returned to their time, they sat quietly, stroking the dog and reflecting on the lives lost in the tragedy.