"S.S." GIGANTIC ACROSS THE ATLANTIC: The Story of the World's Biggest Ocean Liner Ever - Hardcover

Selgin, Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 068982467X ISBN 13: 9780689824678

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1999

Synopsis

Tells the tale of the S.S. Gigantic which began to sink on its maiden voyage after its rubber hull was punctured by a dreaded sea thumbtack.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 5At last, an antidote for those seeking to satisfy the Titanic thirst in young patrons, but who are unable to face another DiCaprio clip. This timely send-up records the maiden voyage of the worlds Biggest Ocean Liner Ever: Its SO gigantic, it can travel around the world without moving! The ship boasts a passenger list of billionaires, the likes of Dr. and Mrs. Iadore Myself and Benjamin Bigbehind. It is young Pip-Squeak (the lookout with extraordinary vision) who narrates, recounting the disastrous effects of the dreaded SEA THUMBTACK on the vessels rubber hull. Selgins comic-book art is executed with gouache in a palette of primary colors and black. His dynamic designs sweep across the pages with consistently sharp attention to detail, from the endpapers to the Bar-Code Barge that is being towed across the books back cover. The artwork is accompanied by an equally animated text. Pair this with Judi Barretts Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Atheneum, 1978) or Anne Isaacss Swamp Angel (Dutton, 1994) for a storytime of gargantuan proportions and great fun.Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

There's high adventure, indeed, in this hilarious tall tale, which begins, "Call me Pip-Squeak." Children won't catch the reference to Moby Dick, but they will immediately recognize the spoof of the unsinkable ocean liner, setting sail again, this time as the S.S. Gigantic. Captain Bragg is at the helm, and Pip-Squeak, our narrator, is in the crow's nest of the incredible ship, which is so huge that it takes a lifetime to walk from bow to stern and it needs one million propellers. Passengers include tycoon Benjamin Bigbehind and Dr. and Mrs. Isadore Myself. On its maiden voyage, while other ships are striking icebergs and sinking, the S.S. Gigantic actually sinks an iceberg, confirming all the more the ship's seaworthiness. But meet its doom it must, and children will delight at the surprise ending. The cornball-style illustrations offer graphic nonsense and funny asides aplenty. Shelley Townsend-Hudson

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 068982467X
• ISBN 13: 9780689824678
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Selgin Peter