I SURVIVED, TRUE STORIES by Lauren Tarshis

From the author of the great historical fiction series I Survived come five true stories of survival. The "voice" in these stories are fantastic and it makes the informational text accessible. There's great background information, too, about how the author started writing the fictional series.

My favorite stories in this book are the one about the blizzard and the one about the molasses flood. I had never heard of the molasses flood before, so that was fascinating (and gross!). This will be a huge hit with my students as well as the teachers at our school for their classrooms.

5 out of 5 stars

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I SURVIVED THE DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII, 79AD by Lauren Tarshis

Marcus and his father are slaves in Pompeii in 79 AD. They are eager to escape their ruthless captors, but when they discover the rumblings of Mt. Vesuvius are hinting at something much more dangerous than some shaky ground, they want more than freedom from slavery. They want to escape Pompeii before it is too late.

This was a great father/son story that included interesting information about the history of the Roman empire. Includes a description of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius as well as a believable explanation of how a slave would have been able to read the signs about what was about to happen. A fantastic addition to this popular series!

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 5.1

Next book in the series releases on February 24, 2015. A "True Stories" book is out now.

   
 

I SURVIVED THE NAZI INVASION, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis

Max and his sister, Zena, are alone. Confined to a Jewish Ghetto in Poland, trapped behind a barbed wire fence, the kids are in danger every moment. Their father was dragged away by Nazis. Max and Zena have been on their own for a month. When they escape the ghetto, a forest promises some cover, but the Nazi's are looking for rebels who blew up a train of supplies. They will level the forest if it means finding these rebels. And if they can eliminate a couple Jewish kids at the same time, the Nazis will consider it a bonus.

This was really well done. It addressed the Holocaust in an age-appropriate way and without delving into the gruesomeness of the concentration camps. I hadn't heard of the partisans before I read this, so I learned something, too. Always a good thing! Students will love the adventure and the setting; World War II is a part of history that grabs kids' attention. Fans of the series will not be disappointed with this latest book in the series. Again, when I presented this book to students as part of our book fair preview, they were frantic to get their hands on this book.

5 out of 5 stars
AR Reading Level of 5.1

The next book in the series is pictured below and releases in August of 2014.

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I SURVIVED THE JAPANESE TSUNAMI, 2011 by Lauren Tarshis

Ben and his mom and little brother are visiting Japan four months after Ben's dad died. They were visiting Ben's great-uncle when the tsunami hit. As his family tried to flee by car, the car was overtaken by water and Ben was separated from his family. There's so much loss - so much devastation. Ben has lost so much. What could possibly happen next?

It's hard to write much of summary of the story without giving too much away. This was a great installment in this adventure series. My students devour these books! And they will love this one. The family is likeable, their grief feels authentic. And the fear in the midst of the earthquake/tsunami felt very real to me! This book is informative and engrossing. Another winner!

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.6

CHAPTER BOOK: I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 by Lauren Tarshis

Thomas and his litter sister, Birdie, are slaves during the Civil War. When Thomas is in danger of being sold to more brutal slave owners, the two run away. After a long, difficult journey, they end up with a group of Union soldiers who care for them. The kids hear stories of the war - and they see it's horrors first hand at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Review
Another great story in this historical fiction series. My students can't get enough of these, and I know they are going to love this, too. This is an honest story of war without being excessive about the reality of war and slavery. Thomas and Birdie are great characters. Tarshis does a great job of providing a satisfying ending without resorting to an unrealistic "everything is perfect" ending which would be rare in a wartime situation. I bought this book from Scholastic in a book fair preview pack for our school's spring book fair. This is one my students will be very excited about!!

4 out of 5 stars
This book has not released yet, so there is no AR level at this time.

Recommended for: readers in 3rd grade and up, fans of historical fiction, fans of previous books in this series, fans of war stories, classroom teachers looking for material for Black History Month in February.

CHAPTER BOOK - I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis

[I didn't plan for this to post so close to the anniversary of the events of 9/11 - this was the next book and the next open blog date.]

Summary: Lucas loved football more than anything. When too many concussions cause Lucas' parents to make him give up the game he loves, Lucas cuts school to go into New York City to see Uncle Benny, his hero. But their thoughts quickly turn from football when they watch an airplane fly into one of the towers at The World Trade Center.

Review: This story was exceptionally well done. The football angle may seem "random," but it was a great way to introduce readers to Lucas and get readers to care about him. Once the story turns to the attacks, the pace is quick. As an adult who experienced 9/11, though from the Midwest, rather than in NYC, I remembered what it was like to be an observer. The author then made it easy to imagine what it was like to be right there. The book was done with great sensitivity to the topic. 

5 out of 5 stars

No AR information yet

Recommended for: school and classroom libraries.  My students are fascinated by stories of 9/11. While most of them weren't born yet, they know that day has shaped the world they live in.