It's 1912, and street-kids Paddy and Daniel are used to fending for themselves on Belfast's mean streets. What they're not used to is the monumental revenge of a pickpocketing victim they had targeted ne other than the mighty gangster James Gilhooley. Gilhooley's thugs grab Paddy and ferry him away into the cargo hold of the spectacular new ocean-liner Titanic, which is just about to begin its journey out of Belfast's shipbuilding yard. Terrified and alone, Paddy assumes Daniel has been killed as he begins the next phase of his life as a stowaway. Korman paints a vivid picture of life aboard the doomed vessel as passengers and crew alternately befriend and menace the plucky young fugitive. Can Paddy and junior-steward Alphie keep each other's secrets? Will young passengers Sophie and Juliana be allies? The high-octane adventure packs plenty of suspense and close calls and a host of smug references to the "unsinkable" nature of the ship in this first installment of what is likely to be a popular series.

KORMAN, Gordon . Collision Course . Bk. 2. 167p. ISBN 978-0-545-12332-7 . KORMAN, Gordon . S.O.S. Bk. 3. 166p. Sept. ISBN 978-0-545-12333-4 . ea vol: (Titanic Series). Scholastic . 2011. pap. $5.99. LC number unavailable. Gr 4-7 These books follow the lives of four teens who become friends and help save one another aboard the sinking ship. Paddy Burns, 14, is a homeless runaway who mourns the death of his best friend. While Daniel was being brutally attacked, Paddy hid in a crate that was slowly lifted onto the Titanic . He had no way off the ship and became a stowaway. Alfie Huggins's mother just left him, so he lies about his age and applies for a steward position on the ship, where his father will be working as an engine stoker. Sophie Bronson is the daughter of a suffragist who turns every situation into a political rally. They have been kicked out of England and given a police escort to the vessel. Juliana Glamm is the daughter of the 17th Earl of Glamford. He has lost all of his family's money gambling and is going to sell his daughter to a wealthy Texas oil tycoon, unbeknownst to her. They are traveling to America to meet their soon-to-be in-laws. Korman mixes facts about the Titanic into this historical adventure. Readers will learn about the building of the ship, why it was supposed to be unsinkable, and the duties of the different crew members. The series focuses on Paddy, who is the best-developed character, and the difficulties of keeping him hidden. Still, readers will find something to relate to in the different relationships the other teens had with their parents. Because one book flows into the next, individual titles do not stand alone. Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, NY