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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is about a boy who survived a tsunami after the first wave it was him and his brother when the first wave hit he saved his brother and the black cat they owned as the second one hit they left the house. my favorite character in this book was the black cat I like every action he did /spoiler when the bot was on a mattress and found the cat running around. I rated this book a 4.75 because of how the ending was.I liked how heartwarming it was.
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this because my son checked it out at the library. It is on a 3rd grade level and I read it all in a matter of minutes but I recommend it for other kids. I cried at the end lol
Realistic Adventure
Grades 2-4.
This book takes place in the town of Shogahama, Japan. The story follows a boy named Ben, who is from California as he is visiting his uncle in Japan along with his younger brother Harry and his mother. Ben had recently lost his father, an Air Force pilot, in a car crash. On the morning of the earthquake we learn that Ben has had a hard time dealing with the death of his father as he wakes up from having a dream about him. At around 2:40PM an earthquake hit which lasted about five minutes. Ben helps his brother and remembers that his father had told him that he had to remember to breathe in order to remain calm. The earthquake caused great damage to their uncles house but that was the least of their problems. Out in the distance they see the tsunami wave forming and they all scurry to the car to try to get away. As the tsunami hits it quickly catches up to Ben and his family who are still in the car. Everyone except him manage get out of the car as he is separated from his family. Still trapped in the car Ben remembers more of his father’s advice about his training under water and remaining calm. This helps him escape from the car as he sees the water has already begun to recede. As Ben makes his way back inland he sees the wreckage left behind by the great tsunami. He then ends up exhausted at an elementary school where he is given water and food by other survivors. While waiting for news of more survivors in the area he is left in charge of taking care of a few younger children who still have not had work of their parents. His brother, mother and uncle find him and they are in one peace. This book has many strengths. The first is Ben’s character development. We get to know how he is feeling about the death of his father and how he tries to be strong in front of his brother. He shows bravery as he remembers to remain calm and think of ways to survive each obstacle he is faced with. During his time alone he realizes the importance of the people that were there for him during hard times, such as when his father passed away. Another strength this book has is the use of some Japanese words such as ojisan (uncle), dishin (earthquake), and arigatou (thank you). Although not part of Ben’s story line, we get a lot of information about the devastation brought on by the damage of the nuclear power plant. At the end of the story the author has included scientific facts on how a tsunami forms and the devastating statistics caused by this earthquake and tsunami. I would recommend this title as complimentary reading when teaching the target audience the science of earthquakes and tsunamis. The illustrations are all in black and white and are very few. These illustrations include scenes of the town before the wreckage, scenes showing Ben and his brother hiding under the bed, the tsunami wave as it rises out of the ocean, as Ben trapped in the car, and as he reunites with his family.
Grades 2-4.
This book takes place in the town of Shogahama, Japan. The story follows a boy named Ben, who is from California as he is visiting his uncle in Japan along with his younger brother Harry and his mother. Ben had recently lost his father, an Air Force pilot, in a car crash. On the morning of the earthquake we learn that Ben has had a hard time dealing with the death of his father as he wakes up from having a dream about him. At around 2:40PM an earthquake hit which lasted about five minutes. Ben helps his brother and remembers that his father had told him that he had to remember to breathe in order to remain calm. The earthquake caused great damage to their uncles house but that was the least of their problems. Out in the distance they see the tsunami wave forming and they all scurry to the car to try to get away. As the tsunami hits it quickly catches up to Ben and his family who are still in the car. Everyone except him manage get out of the car as he is separated from his family. Still trapped in the car Ben remembers more of his father’s advice about his training under water and remaining calm. This helps him escape from the car as he sees the water has already begun to recede. As Ben makes his way back inland he sees the wreckage left behind by the great tsunami. He then ends up exhausted at an elementary school where he is given water and food by other survivors. While waiting for news of more survivors in the area he is left in charge of taking care of a few younger children who still have not had work of their parents. His brother, mother and uncle find him and they are in one peace. This book has many strengths. The first is Ben’s character development. We get to know how he is feeling about the death of his father and how he tries to be strong in front of his brother. He shows bravery as he remembers to remain calm and think of ways to survive each obstacle he is faced with. During his time alone he realizes the importance of the people that were there for him during hard times, such as when his father passed away. Another strength this book has is the use of some Japanese words such as ojisan (uncle), dishin (earthquake), and arigatou (thank you). Although not part of Ben’s story line, we get a lot of information about the devastation brought on by the damage of the nuclear power plant. At the end of the story the author has included scientific facts on how a tsunami forms and the devastating statistics caused by this earthquake and tsunami. I would recommend this title as complimentary reading when teaching the target audience the science of earthquakes and tsunamis. The illustrations are all in black and white and are very few. These illustrations include scenes of the town before the wreckage, scenes showing Ben and his brother hiding under the bed, the tsunami wave as it rises out of the ocean, as Ben trapped in the car, and as he reunites with his family.
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
I actually like reading the I survived series. All are very interesting.
I really thought I had read this book for the longest time, but it must have been a different book about the Japanese tsunami! This was another great look at a disaster by Lauren Tarshis - although this story actually had several!
My child and I really enjoyed this one. This is a great series of books for young readers. We love how the write blends facts with a great fictional tale.
This is the first book I have read from the I Survive series. My daughter and I loved it. It really gave my 9 year old daughter an idea of how it would be to live in Japan during the Tsunami. It was not to long, but long enough to give age appropriate details of what it was like to live in Japan at this time. After reading the book, my daughter was very interested in the Tsunami and its effects on Japan. This book motivated her to look up information on the computer and do some research. Her new favorite genre is historical fiction. We also bought another I Survived book.