I cannot gush about this series enough. I
love when a book gets a kid excited about reading, and when that love
grows when I can inform the kid "but wait, there's more!" On top of
that, I love when a series has appeal for both boys and girls. And I
really love when a book can inspire kids to want to learn more outside
of the book they have just read. And the I Survived series does this! All of it!
Throughout her series, Lauren Tarshis
has captured snapshots of various times in history and recounted them
from the perspective a kid living through that event. Every kid ends up
right in the middle of the action. Even though it's often terrifying,
you know that character is going to be okay, otherwise they wouldn't be
the star of a book titled I Survived. I appreciate that Tarshis
is able to put a fair amount of information into her stories, without it
being overloading or boring. In addition, each book has informational
text at the end to give the reader a bit more knowledge of the event
itself. As an adult I have learned quite a bit. Prior to reading this
series I knew nothing of the shark attacks in New Jersey or the
Children's Blizzard in the Dakotas. In each book, I learn something new
and almost always do a little bit more research on my own after
finishing the book.
I
have read most of the books and have also listened to some of the audio
versions. I think my favorite part of the audio versions is the
interviews with Lauren Tarshis. It's very interesting to hear in her own
voice how she does her research and how she goes about writing her
books. I'm not sure if this is something that will be of interest to
young readers, but I find it fascinating.
This
series is great for reader's that aren't super confident in their
reading skills, but are still ready for chapter books. The writing is
simple enough that even beginning readers will be able to read the
material, but interesting enough that more mature readers won't be
bored. I highly recommend this books for teachers, librarians, and parents. They also make a great gift for that young reader in your life!
Happy Reading!
-Melly
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