Iceberg

Iceberg (2023) is a historical fiction middle grade novel written by Jennifer A. Nielsen. She is the author of 20 novels, which range from historical fiction to fantasy. She has won multiple awards for her work, and her historical fiction works provide approachable access points to events that shaped the US and the world. Iceberg takes place in April 1912 and tells the story of the Titanic’s first voyage and tragic sinking through the lens of fictional protagonist Hazel, a 12-year-old stowaway who survives the disaster. The story’s themes center on truth, questions, friendship, class divisions, sacrifice, hope, and altruism.

This guide refers to the 2023 Scholastic Press hardcover edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss the sinking of a ship and death.

Plot Summary

On the shores of Southampton, England, 12-year-old Hazel Rothbury approaches the Titanic. She’s leaving her family behind to work in a New York garment factory and send money back to them. Before boarding, she meets Sylvia Thorngood, a girl from first class who’s around her age. Hazel can’t afford a ticket and sneaks into the cargo bay to stow away until the ship leaves. After hiding in a trunk, she goes to the deck to see the farewell. A porter named Charlie Blight offers to take her up to first class for a better view, and she overhears people talking about how Captain Smith’s previous ship was damaged. She makes a note of it, resolving to become a journalist and write about the Titanic. Charlie reveals that the gates on the lower decks lock in an emergency and that the crew is trying to manage a coal fire down below. Hazel looks for somewhere to sleep, but curiosity drives her back to the top decks, where she meets Mrs. Abelman, an elderly woman who has lived in every class. Seeing Hazel’s boldness and intelligence, Mrs. Abelman gives her a notebook to propel her journalism dream. Hazel sleeps under a stairwell. When she wakes, Charlie is watching her. He takes her to an empty cabin with a bed and some food. She knows that she has found a friend.

The next day, Hazel overhears some women talking about how Captain Smith’s first ship, the Olympic, crashed into another ship. She learns about the importance of a double hull to prevent flooding and how the Titanic has only one hull. Hazel also learns that the ship is going at top speed, which Charlie explains is because of the coal fire. Charlie tells Hazel that Sylvia invited her up to first class for dinner and sent down a dress for Hazel to wear. Hazel is unsure about fitting into first class but goes for the sake of having a friend. At dinner, Hazel meets an engineering student named Mr. Waddington and a couple named the Mollisons. The Mollisons plan to steal from people on the ship, including Mrs. Abelman and Sylvia’s governess, Miss Gruber. When the captain arrives at the café, Hazel openly asks him about the ship’s speed and its ability to turn at short notice. The captain assures her and everyone else listening that the lookout crew will ensure that the ship averts all dangers. Miss Gruber and Sylvia both look embarrassed after Hazel’s question, and she leaves the dinner.

Hazel finds Mrs. Abelman and asks if she’s staying in first class. Mrs. Abelman says that class doesn’t matter; she goes wherever she wants. She tells Hazel to meet her in the library in the morning to learn about icebergs, and Hazel stops on the deck to look at the ocean. She finds an officer and asks about the lifeboats, and he tells her that the ship has 20. Hazel knows that isn’t enough and becomes even more concerned about the ship’s safety. She overhears the Mollisons talking about cheating at gambling. The next morning, Hazel meets Mrs. Abelman at the library and finds a book about the different types of icebergs. Later, she runs into Sylvia and warns her about the Mollisons. Sylvia invites Hazel to tea, but Hazel, immersed in learning about icebergs and the ship, forgets the time and arrives too late. Mrs. Mollison finds Hazel and says that she knows Hazel stowed away. Before she can say much more, Charlie intervenes. When Hazel returns to her room, she finds that her notebook and bag have been stolen.

On the day before the disaster, Hazel learns about refraction from Mrs. Abelman and apologizes to Sylvia for missing tea. Sylvia, realizing that Hazel is intent on writing her story, helps Hazel sneak into the Mollisons’ room since Hazel thinks they took her notebook. She doesn’t find it but does find a piece of paper outlining their plan. Sylvia offers Hazel a job as her paid companion in New York, and Hazel promises to consider it. Miss Gruber learns that Hazel is a stowaway and reports her to an officer, who arrests Hazel. As she sits in a room awaiting the consequences, Mrs. Mollison sneaks a word in with her, asking her to help keep their plot concealed. Hazel refuses and realizes that Mrs. Mollison is connected to Mrs. Abelman through their shared work history. Charlie gets in trouble for helping Hazel but has a second chance to prove his character. Miss Gruber pays for Hazel’s ticket, but she doesn’t learn who paid it until much later. Hazel rushes out and finds Mrs. Abelman gambling with Mr. Mollison. About to lose, Mrs. Abelman exchanges the key to her safe deposit box and all her money for Hazel’s notebook. Hazel is grateful to have such a loyal friend.

On Sunday, April 14, Hazel wakes up with the gut feeling that something will go horribly wrong and wonders if she should even bother writing her story. Charlie tells her that the ship has received iceberg warnings all morning; the warnings continue into the night. Hazel sneaks down to the boiler room and learns that one of the bulkheads that prevent flooding is damaged. She and Charlie observe the captain ignoring iceberg warnings. Later, Miss Gruber tells Hazel that her parents’ skepticism dashed her dreams, and she hopes that Hazel can fulfill hers. Sylvia suspects Miss Gruber of stealing money from the family’s safe deposit box. Hazel and Charlie sneak back into the Mollisons’ room to get proof of their crimes, but they catch Charlie, and he’s taken away. On the upper deck, Mrs. Mollison tells Hazel that they’re using Sylvia as a fake hostage because they owe Miss Gruber a debt and don’t want to pay it back. When Hazel is found on the wrong deck again, she’s taken back to the holding room, where she overhears that the ship is approaching several icebergs and sees the telegraph operator ignoring incoming warnings. When she’s released, she finds Sylvia in the cargo bay. The doors are locked behind them, so they use a car to ram them open and escape. On the deck, they notice that the ocean is eerily calm and dark. Suddenly, the lookout crew rings the warning bell and announces that there’s an iceberg ahead.

Sylvia and Hazel watch as the ship approaches the iceberg but turns too late to miss it, so the iceberg rips into the hull. They run to find Charlie and Mrs. Abelman, who they assume are on a lower deck. As they descend into the ship, they pass dozens of passengers who are unaware or confused about what’s happening. A porter asks Hazel to send his love to his family, and Hazel and Sylvia split up in search for Charlie and Mrs. Abelman. Sylvia finds Mrs. Abelman trapped behind her cabin door as the room fills with water, and Miss Gruber helps the girls free her. Mrs. Abelman insists on staying below to help other passengers but tells Hazel that Charlie is locked in a room in the hospital wing, so Hazel reluctantly leaves to find him, and Mr. Waddington pries the door open to free him. Charlie focuses on helping Hazel to a lifeboat and gets her on one. Mr. Mollison poses as a woman to get on the lifeboat, but an officer discovers him after Mrs. Mollison learns that Mrs. Abelman’s stock certificates are blank. Hazel leaves the lifeboat, desperate to save Mrs. Abelman, and finds her with Charlie on the lowest deck, but Mrs. Abelman still insists on staying. Charlie helps Hazel back to the lifeboats, and Mr. Mollison picks her up and drops her into one. Hazel and the others in the lifeboats watch the ship explode, break apart, and collapse into the sea. She opens a box that Mrs. Abelman gave her. It contains a will addressed to Hazel. She laments losing Mrs. Abelman but is overwhelmed with gratitude for her help. When the Carpathia arrives hours later to take on any survivors, Hazel finds Sylvia and Charlie on board. They embrace, relieved yet filled with sorrow. Fewer than a third of the passengers aboard the Titanic survived, and Hazel goes on to write a story detailing their courage and sacrifice.