The Children’s Book Review | June 7, 2017
The Children’s Book Review: Which five words best describe Flashback Four #2: The Titanic Mission?
Dan Gutman: Exciting! Dangerous! Historic! Dramatic! Unbelievable!
If you had to take a vacation with one of the characters from Flashback Four #2: The Titanic Mission, who would it be? Why?
It would be the enigmatic billionaire, Miss Chris Zandergoth, who has invented a super-sophisticated smartboard that has the capability to send people back in time. Like myself, she’s fascinated by photography. She is also intent on the idea of capturing pictures of historical events that were never photographed before, such as Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address and the Titanic as it’s sinking.
What has been the best reaction from a reader, so far?
Somebody said, “It sinks, right?” But typically, my best reaction is from parents, teachers, and librarians who tell me that their children or students used to hate reading until they started reading my books. I never get tired of hearing that.
What’s on your nightstand? Any books?
Two. Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” and John Sedgewick’s “War of Two: Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Duel That Stunned the Nation.” I’m currently researching Flashback Four #4, in which the kids will go back to 1804 and attempt to shoot video of the Hamilton-Burr duel.
For your writing energy: sugar or salt, tea or coffee?
None of the above. A bike ride. It gets my creative juices flowing.
Writing tools: computer, pen and paper, or all of the above?
All of the above. I start by outlining my story on file cards. After the outline is complete, I start the actual writing on my computer (a MacBook Pro laptop).
Can you tell us one more thing we may not know about Flashback Four #2: The Titanic Mission, your writing style, or yourself?
The book ends with the mother of all cliffhangers. It’s almost cruel to the reader to make them wait a year for #3. I can’t tell you any more.
Oh, and people should visit my Facebook fan page and follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dangutmanbooks.
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Flashback Four #2: The Titanic Mission
Written by Dan Gutman
Publisher’s Synopsis: In New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman’s all-new series, which blends fascinating real history with an action-packed adventure, four very different kids are picked by a mysterious billionaire to travel through time and photograph some of history’s most important events.
This time, Luke, Julia, David, and Isabel are headed to the deck of the doomed Titanic. Their mission? Capture a shot of the sinking ship, then come right back. The only problem is, once they arrive aboard the ship, the four friends can’t agree on what to do next. Should they try to save the passengers? Or maybe bring back a priceless book before it sinks with the ship?
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: HarperCollins | 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-0062236357
Available Here:
About Dan Gutman
Dan Gutman is the New York Times bestselling author of the Genius Files series. He is also the author of the Baseball Card Adventure series, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies around the world, and the My Weird School series, which has sold more than 10 million copies.
Thanks to his many fans who voted in their classrooms, Dan has received nineteen state book awards and ninety-two state book award nominations. He lives in New York City with his wife, Nina. You can visit him online at www.dangutman.com
This speed interview with Dan Gutman, author of Flashback Four #2: The Titanic Mission, was conducted by Bianca Schulze. For similar books and articles, follow along with our content tagged with Action, Adventure, Dan Gutman, Historical Fiction, Time Travel and Speed Interview.
