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angiebayne 's review for:
I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011
by Lauren Tarshis
Ben is visiting Shogahama, Japan in March 2011 when the earthquake and tsunami hit. His mom and younger brother are also there. They are still grieving the loss of dad in a car accident a few months prior. The earthquake destroys Uncle Ojisan's home and as they escape the house they realize a tsunami is coming. They try to outrun the water in the car but are swept away. Ben is separated from the rest of his family and struggles to survive and get to safety. He eventually ends up at a local school where he is tasked with taking care of younger kids. His dad was a pilot in the Army and taught Ben some of the survival strategies he was trained in. This helps Ben as he is trying to survive. This is a relatively short book, but it is action packed. I can see why these are so popular with the kids. It was a good story with lots of good details about the disaster and what it took to survive. I do wish the main character had been a local kid instead of a visitor. I think that would have made for a more powerful story.