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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
Hey, this time it wasn't the kid who got knocked out, it was his dad who received the concussion. The author is expanding her scope or whatever. (This I SURVIVED book has the highest body count so far, being ALL OF POMPEII, unless you count the one about World War II. . . .)
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The I Survived books have a special place in my heart. I didn’t grow up reading them but as an adult I started to buy them to enjoy and learn about historical events around the world. Such a fun way to learn about them, through story telling with fictional characters. It really brings you into the story instead of just reading facts from a textbook. I loved this book and I couldn’t put it down for very long without needing to find out how Marcus and Tata were going to get out! Can’t wait to read another I Survived book!
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
You feel like you are in Pompeii during its destruction. The book pulls you in and makes you feel like you are running for your life. It introduces kids to the history of Pompeii and it's great that they know they can visit it one day.
Even though I don't fit the target audience for this series at all, I still quite enjoy it. Reading quick, exciting middle grade books is an easy way to learn about events in history and important historical figures. I've read a number of the I Survived books, which I know are wildly popular among kids. (I volunteered for years in my kids' elementary school library and kids checked these books out CONSTANTLY.)
Anyway, when I needed a book for a reading challenge prompt about a civilization that doesn't exist anymore, I immediately thought of Pompeii. While I love historical fiction, I don't necessarily enjoy books set in this particular time period. This I Survived book was a perfect compromise! Like all the installments I've read in this series, I SURVIVED THE DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII is a fast, action-packed read that teaches readers about history while also keeping them entertained. Marcus and his Tata are sympathetic characters. It's easy to root for their success and survival. While the book contains realistic violence (the main characters are slaves living in a brutal society) and scary scenes/situations (volcano eruption, people getting trampled in the chaos, etc.), it never gets too graphic for its younger middle-grade audience. It also doesn't feel like a history lesson, even though it has plenty of details about Pompeii and ancient Roman culture; these details never get in the way of the story. I've found this to be true of all of the books that I've read in this series. For these reasons and more, they're perfect for young (and old, like me) audiences, especially reluctant readers.
Anyway, when I needed a book for a reading challenge prompt about a civilization that doesn't exist anymore, I immediately thought of Pompeii. While I love historical fiction, I don't necessarily enjoy books set in this particular time period. This I Survived book was a perfect compromise! Like all the installments I've read in this series, I SURVIVED THE DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII is a fast, action-packed read that teaches readers about history while also keeping them entertained. Marcus and his Tata are sympathetic characters. It's easy to root for their success and survival. While the book contains realistic violence (the main characters are slaves living in a brutal society) and scary scenes/situations (volcano eruption, people getting trampled in the chaos, etc.), it never gets too graphic for its younger middle-grade audience. It also doesn't feel like a history lesson, even though it has plenty of details about Pompeii and ancient Roman culture; these details never get in the way of the story. I've found this to be true of all of the books that I've read in this series. For these reasons and more, they're perfect for young (and old, like me) audiences, especially reluctant readers.
This book was especially interesting to my son. He knows that all the I Survived books are historical fiction, based on events that truly happened. But this one was even more captivating because I was able to look up pictures of the destruction. He found them exciting and revolting at the same time. (I guess we all probably do, don't we? Like a train wreck....) Still, it was great reading about a young boy near my own son's age who managed to escape the tragedy!
I give it 5 stars from the perspective of my 9-year-old self. I read this with my son.
I read this book to my 3rd grade class because I try to introduce them to lots of different genres. Also one of the kids brought it in to let me borrow because we had learned about Pompeii during our Rome unit. The kids loved this book. It was a fun read aloud, and it kept me engaged which is more than I can say for some kids chapter books!