Remembering the Titanic

 I was totally excited to get the chance to review another book for Christian Focus 4 Kids, this one Titanic: the Ship of Dreams- John Harper by Robert Plant.  My oldest, Bubby (9 years old), is totally into seafaring and shipwrecks, so I was looking forward to digging into another historical fiction with him.  He devoured the book in just a little more than a day, and then I got a chance at it:)  The book is based on an actual passenger of the Titanic, John Harper.  I had not heard of Rev. Harper prior to reading this book so I did a little research on him and it made me all the more eager to see what was in store with the fictionalization of his story.  Rev. Harper was a widower from England and traveling with his daughter, Nana to the USA to the Moody Church in Chicago via the Titanic.  The author portrays Rev. Harper just as I would imagine him myself, a person eager to share Jesus with everyone he met.  For example, his home church grew from a mere 25 to over 500 under his time as it's pastor, a sure sign of a thriving church.  While Rev. Harper is the primary character, most of the plot is seen through the eyes of Nana, and it's through her that we get to meet famous people such as the Astors who give her a tour of the ill-fated ship.
  I loved this story for bringing attention to a person who is such a light to the Titanic story.  Even as the ship was going down, Harper was fighting for souls - "women, and children and the unsaved into the lifeboats!".  With his last breath he was leading people to the Lord (that part of the story is very true & his last convert lived to tell the tale!).  The author did a fantastic job not just showing how Harper tried to win souls, but laid out the plan of salvation so plainly that even someone reading the book who is not a Christian could tell what it's all about.
  The book included historical notes on Rev. Harper as well as a timeline of his life & study questions.  I absolutely loved this book!  We will definitely be reading it again, hopefully as a read-aloud (if I can keep from tearing up!).  Thank you Christian Focus 4 Kids for sending me a copy to review!

A picture commonly accepted as being John Harper & his daughter Nana