Shipwrecks

by Nick Hunter

Overview

Shipwrecks examines the hunt for shipwrecks and the valuable treasures they hold, whether that be gold and jewels, or important artifacts that offer us a window on to the past. Part of the Treasure Hunters series, "Shipwrecks" offers a crosscurricular mix of science & technology and history, with a fun, dramatic approach. "Shipwrecks" covered in the book include the Tudor Warship the Mary Rose, the Spanish Galleon La Nuestra Senora de Atocha, American Civil War ship SS Republic, and the Titanic: the most famous shipwreck of all. The book also looks at the motives for these searches, and the importance of responsible archaeology: were the treasure hunters driven by personal greed or glory, or did they embark on their quest with a historical interest and a desire to preserve the lost treasures?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781410949615
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	01/01/2013
Series:	Treasure Hunters
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	819,561
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	1080L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

About the Author

Nick Hunter has written more than 30 books for young people. He has a degree in Modern History and specializes in writing about history and social studies. Nick enjoys all aspects of pop culture, particularly music from the 1950s to the present day. Before becoming an author, Nick worked in educational publishing for many years. He lives in Oxford, UK with his wife and two sons.

Table of Contents

Treasure Beneath the Waves 4

The Mary Rose 8

Treasure Fleet Tragedy 16

SS Republic 24

The "Unsinkable" Titanic 32

Could You Be a Maritime Archaeologist? 42

Timeline 44

Glossary 45

Find Out More 46

Index 48

Interviews

History and archaeology are explored from the exiting angle of treasure hunters and the wonders they have found. Case studies unearth the secrets of ancient buried treasures and look at who might have hidden them and why. Short text boxes are accompanied by an array of photographs, and a full spread illustration in each book takes a closer look at a fascinating find. Their small format makes books in the Treasure Hunters series perfect to stuff into your backpack and to read on the go.

Editorial Reviews

This entry in the Treasure Hunters series focuses on five notable shipwrecks, from the Mary Rose (1545) to the Titanic (1912), and the modern rediscoveries of four (the search for the seventeenth-century Merchant Royal goes on). Packed with photos and period images, inset boxes, and multiple captions and blocks of type in a wide variety of typefaces and sizes, the pages look cramped and cluttered, but the drama of the original disaster, the suspense of searching for the wrecks, and the triumph of finding treasure – along with quick glimpses of techniques of salvage and conservation – provide ample temptation to less able readers. The back matter includes suggested topics for further research as well as the usual bibliography and lists of physical and websites to visit. Amid the plethora of similar titles (this publisher alone has produced three in the past decade), this doesn’t stand out, but it makes a serviceable addition to collections. – John Peters Booklist April 2013

Booklist

Gr 5–8—Readers of these exciting titles will join searches for some of the planet's most storied places and legendary treasures. After helpful introductions that lay foundations so children will understand why thieves might want to steal art or treasure hunters take such risks, each volume contains chapters that follow the discovery and/or quests for objects such as "Roman Riches" or locations such as the legendary city of Troy. This format allows for development of topics and inclusion of sufficient background information. Concluding spreads nicely pull together themes and facts. The attractive full-color photos and illustrations of expeditions, explorers, and artifacts are both appealing and informative. While this set captures the thrill of the hunt, it also emphasizes the historical and cultural value of the treasures and how serendipitous discoveries and challenging missions have improved historians' understanding of the past.

School Library Journal