No Moon - Softcover

Watts, Irene N.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0887769713 ISBN 13: 9780887769719

Publisher: Tundra Books, 2010

Synopsis

A story of reliance and resilience.Did you call out to us, Johnny, before your small body was dragged down under the water? Why didn't we hear you? I am sorry! I'll never forget.

Louisa Gardener is the fourteen-year-old nursemaid to the young daughters of a wealthy, titled family living in London, England, in 1912.

Despite the bullying Nanny Mackintosh, for whom she is an extra pair of hands, she loves her work and her young charges. Then everything changes. The family decides to sail to New York aboard the Titanic. An accident to the children's nanny, only days prior to the sailing, means that Louisa must go in her stead. She cannot refuse, although she dreads even the mention of the ocean. Memories she has suppressed, except in nightmares, come crowding back.

When Louisa was five and her sister seven years old, their two-year-old brother died on an outing to the seaside. Since that time, Louisa has had a fear of the ocean. She blames herself for the accident, though she has been told it wasn't her fault.

If Louisa refuses to go on the voyage, she will be dismissed, and she will never get beyond the working-class life she has escaped from.

How Louisa learns self-reliance, overcomes her fears, and goes beyond what is expected of a girl makes No Moon an unforgettable story.

About this title

About the Author

Born in Germany, IRENE N. WATTS is a playwright and writer who has worked throughout Canada and Europe. She has published many award-winning books for children, including Good-bye Marianne, Finding Sophie, Remember Me, Flower, When the Bough Breaks, and Clay Man: The Golem of Prague. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Italian, French, and Dutch. Irene N. Watts lives in Vancouver.

From School Library Journal

Gr 6-9–Watts offers a compelling story of a British servant girl's experience on the Titanic's catastrophic voyage. Wanting to provide financial support for her large family, Louisa, 14, takes the post of nursemaid for a wealthy family. The overbearing nanny criticizes her every move, but Louisa thrives in the position. Then the nanny has an accident days before the family is to sail to New York, and Louisa must either go in her place or lose her job. Haunted by the drowning of her baby brother when she was younger and for which she feels responsible, Louisa insists that the children practice putting on their life vests. When the fateful collision with the iceberg occurs, Watts documents the chaos and emotions realistically. Some of the encounters that Louisa has with the famous and infamous passengers are a bit contrived given Louisa's stature in society, but the encounters do aid in creating a glimpse of the environment on the ship. This book doesn't cover new ground, but the author's portrayal of Edwardian life for both the wealthy and the working classes and her creation of a believable Louisa make No Moon worth reading.Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: Tundra Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0887769713
• ISBN 13: 9780887769719
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240