I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941 (I Survived, #4) by Scott Dawson

I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941 (I Survived, #4) Reviews

• 
  Julie G

  Where, oh where, were these “I Survived” books when I was a kid?
  
  Where was this series, as I was memorizing dates in history and regurgitating them back on paper: The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941?
  
  
  
  I knew the dates. I knew a few facts. I knew nothing.
  
  But Lauren Tarshis imagines the people that were there, in these big moments in history, and she makes them three-dimensional. They sweat, they freeze, they scream.
  
  They see the Japanese bomber planes flying overhead, and they are breathless, wondering if they'll be able to run for cover before the pilot shoots again:
  
  Rat tat tat tat
  Rat tat tat tat
  
  Run!!!!
  
  My daughters will never wonder what the bombing of Pearl Harbor was. There were there! They'll never forget it.
• 
  Juli

  There are 17 books in the I Survived series. Each book tells a fictional account of a historical event through the eyes of a child eyewitness. The series is well researched and age appropriate for middle grade students. From modern events like 9/11 and the Joplin, MO tornado to more ancient disasters like the destruction of Pompeii, the series gives historical facts and tells great fictional accounts for kids.
  
  I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor is the 4th book in the series. Danny Crane and his mother just moved from New York to Hawaii. His mother works as a nurse at the military base hospital. Danny misses his best friend Finn, who was severely injured in an accident just before they moved from NYC. He's feeling a bit lonely when he meets a young Japanese boy, Aki. Aki introduces Danny to his mother. The next day Aki comes to Danny's house early, saying he hears airplanes. The Japanese are bombing the Harbor. Can Danny survive and find his mother at the hospital?
  
  I like this series. The books would definitely be useful in a classroom situation for reluctant readers or to teach/supplement history lessons. The stories are action-packed and interesting. The cover art is definitely eye-catching.
  
  I listened to the audiobook version of this story. Narrated by Michael Goldstrom, the audio is just over an hour long. Goldstrom reads at a nice pace with good inflection. I have hearing loss but was easily able to hear and understand the audio.
  
  I will definitely be reading more of this series. I like to read children's books as a break from adult literature. Sometimes I just like to read for enjoyment and want a short book for a relaxing reading break. This series fit that need perfectly. The books are well-written and interesting but short enough to be a quick, easy read.
  
  For adults reading this series, always keep in mind that this series is written for children. The length is shorter, details softened a bit, and the main characters are children. Don't expect in-depth more adult coverage of these historical events as adults are not the target audience for this series.
• 
  Carol

  December 7, 1941 - 8:05 a.m. - Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - A date that will "live in infamy."

  In this #4 edition of the I SURVIVED children's series, Lauren Tarshis takes a mother and son from the rat infested city of New York to a fresh start in the beautiful land of Hawaii, but it's not long before "America was under attack" by the Empire of Japan.

  There's a good little storyline here that includes friendship, family and bravery plus lots of history as is the norm with the I SURVIVED books.

  A timeline of what happened from 3:40 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. that tragic day is provided plus other facts and statistics.

  Visiting the USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL is an experience I will always remember!
• 
  Tiffany Neal

  Lauren Tarshis has a really good thing going for her with her I Survived series of books. Even though the characters lack tons of depth and the stories are quite short and simple, they are interesting and give kids a glimpse into major historical events that they might not know much about.
  Historical fiction is one of the hardest genres to get my students hooked to, but with her books, I can get any kid to read it. And the other great thing is that since these books only give a taste of this history, it creates an interest in my students that they then seek out nonfiction titles on the same topic to learn more.
  Very enjoyable and I know that my students will be fighting over this as soon as I get it into my library!
• 
  David

  The most terrifying events in history are brought vividly to life in this new fictional series! In I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941 (I Survived, #4) by Lauren Tarshis, Eleven-year-old Danny Crane is alone on his favorite beach in Hawaii when the world is torn apart and World War II officially hits the United States. 70 years later, the bombing of Pearl Harbor comes to life for a new generation of readers! Does he have what it takes to find his way home in the midst of the bombs, the smoke, and the destruction of the day that will live in infamy?
  
  Lauren Tarshis brings history's most exciting and terrifying events to life in this new fictional series. This reminds me of a "We Were There..." series I read as a kid. Readers will be transported by stories of amazing kids and how they survived!
• 
  Deacon Tom F

  
  I really enjoyed this book. Reads historical fiction at its best. And example of what an author takes true historical facts and wraps a story around it and places characters in it.
  
  Tarshish did a fantastic job with this book and should be complimented for her making history. More interesting for children of all ages.
  
  Quick I highly recommend this book to wall.
• 
  Vernon Area Public Library KIDS

  This book is a short fictional account of what it was like to be a young boy in Hawaii during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Readers will feel the fear and shock of this surprise attack. It also touches on the problems of Japanese Americans during this time. Other titles in this series deal with the sinking of the Titanic, Hurricane Katrina, shark attacks of 1916, attacks of September 11th, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. Author notes at the end of the books give more historical details. Recommended for readers in grades 3-6.
  Reviewed by Carol Kaner, Youth Services, Vernon Area Public Library
• 
  JACK BLACK

  Wow! This book was REALLY good. I didn’t realize that There were so many things that I didn’t know about the start of world war ||.
• 
  Jaymie

  My younger kids love these. A little fiction and a history lesson. (Today was Audio)
• 
  Cadee

  "Wow. That was dangerous with lots of injuries. They bombed Indiana [USS Indianapolis] to help them rule the world. They shouldn't do that." -Cadee, age 9
• 
  Meg McGregor

  I was a Middle School Reading, History, and English teacher for almost 30 years! How did I not know about this series?
  
  Another reviewer, Phillip, recommended one of the books in the series, and I decided to get them all from my library!
  
  I really enjoyed it! I love learning new things and Ms. Tarshis writes about the past so vividly, it is like she was actually there; you get the feeling that she is telling you about personal events!
  
  I can fully understand why students would enjoy reading her books! I would certainly include them in any History or Reading class studying the period being discussed!
  
  This story centers around Danny, who has recently moved to Pearl City, Hawaii. His Mother is a nurse; she wanted, to get Danny away from a few spots of trouble, he had been getting into. And then, just a few weeks after they arrive, the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor.
  
  This story is exciting and suspenseful. I especially like how Danny's friendship with little Aki makes him become aware of the tenuous existence for Japanese Americans living in Hawaii and other parts of the United States.
  
  This story gave me lots to think about! If I was still a teacher I would focus on this information for discussion and/or a writing exercise.
  
  "The Arizona Memorial is built over the sunken battleship, which rests in 40 feet of water at the bottom of the harbor. The ship still leaks drops of oil that rise to the surface of the water. I was lucky enough to visit this memorial. The drops of oil made me think of the tears that are still shed over the lives lost in the Pearl Harbor attack and the sorrows of the long war that followed."
  
  I am off to read another book in the series!
• 
  Danielle Russell

  Another fantastic quick read from the I Survived series! Author Lauren Tarshis does an amazing job telling the story of significant events in ways a younger audience can understand. She tells a great story that includes interesting characters. At the end of the book, she also includes factual information regarding the event. The book was entertaining and educational.
• 
  Tracy The Great

  i loved this book!
• 
  Alex Baugh

  Living in New York City, Danny Crane, 11, and his best friend Finn were always in trouble. Danny's father had skipped out before he was born, so his mother worked as a nurse by day and cleaned offices at night to support them and was often not home. There are just too many kids in Finn's family for anyone to keep an eye on him The two boys skip school, sneak into the movies, and pretty soon, they were hanging out with gangster Earl Gasky.
  
  So, in late1941, Danny's mother takes a nursing job at the hospital at Hickam Air Force base on Oahu, Hawaii. Danny hasn't been living in Hawaii for very long before he hatches a plan to stowaway on a ship bound for San Francisco on December 7th, and from there, he plans to cross the country riding the rails back to Finn and the life he loves and wants.
  
  On the morning of December 6th, Danny meets his new neighbors when toddler Aki Sudo wanders into the Cranes backyard. The Sudos are a family of Japanese descent that had been born in Hawaii. And Aki Sudo may only have been 3 years old, but he knew every plane the Americans had in their Air Force, thanks to the detailed drawings his fisherman father drew for him.
  
  Danny likes the Sudos, but he is still determined to get back to Finn and NYC. Yet, on the morning of December 7th, Danny is having a hard time getting out of bed and setting his plan in motion. Thinking about his mother and how she will feel when she discovers him gone, Danny is jolted out of bed by little Aki's cries. Planes, swarms of them, are coming and they aren't American. Suddenly, as the two boys are heading to the Sudo home, they hear loud explosions followed by fire and smoke. Pearl Harbor is under attack.
  
  Returning Aki to his mother, Danny decides he needs to get the Hickam, to find his own mother. But along the way, there is another round of bombing, and shooting. Then, Danny meets Mack, a lieutenant and pilot of a B-17. Mack likes Mrs. Crane, but Danny was resentful of that. Now, though, with a bullet wound to his arm, he and Danny try to make their way to Hickam together.
  
  But, will the two be able to survive the rain of bullets and bombs the Japanese pilots are unleashing on all of Pearl Harbor?
  
  I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor is the 4th book in this popular, action packed I Survived series for boys about boys living in different time periods and facing different historical disasters and making them real coming of age stories. And, like the others, it won't let the reader down. There is plenty of real historical information couched in the fictional story of Danny and since Danny more or less sees the attack on Pearl Harbor from a distance, the descriptions of it are realistic, but not so graphic they will upset the age appropriate reader.
  
  One of the side issues that Lauren Tarshis addresses in this particular story is how easy it was for boys like Danny to fall into the wrong kind of life. Danny is at an age when friends can be all important, so the reader sees how he is torn between staying with his mother and his loyalty to his friend and partner in crime Finn. These two friends were on their way to being in real trouble when Mrs. Crane moved Danny to Hawaii. Juvenile delinquency was a problem back then because so many parents, like Mrs. Crane, had to work long hours, often at two jobs. Doing little things for someone like Earl Gasky was just the beginning. Both boys are at an age when they could have gone either way and I wondered what happened to Finn, left in NYC.
  
  Since I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor is a work of historical fiction, the author has included lots of back matter for further exploration. There is a lengthy Q&A about the actual attack, a Pearl Harbor Time Line, Pearl Harbor facts and resources for reading other books about kids caught in the bombing of December 7, 1941.
  
  In addition, the publisher of the I Survived series, Scholastic, has put a Teacher's Guide online that is compatible with Common Core State Standards and it can be downloaded
  HERE
  
  This book is recommended for readers age 7+
  This book was purchased for my personal library
  
  This review was originally posted at
  The Children's War
• 
  Emily

  I have now read five I Survived books. They all follow a predictable format with the main protagonist becoming stuck in the middle of a natural disaster or historic event, but we all know he/she will survive. As I write this review, I just realized the protagonists have all been boys, and it would be nice if Tarshis featured a girl for some of these. I also usually wish the books went into a little more depth, but I think she did a better job focusing on the event with this book.
  
  I really appreciated the illustrations with this one. There was a full page illustration of the planes such as the B-17 bomber. I am not an aviation expert, so I liked getting to see these planes in such detail. At the end, Tarshis also included a timeline of Pearl Harbor with time stamps similar to the 9/11 book. This is a helpful reference for kids. She also answers several questions kids may have such as why the Japanese attacked. She sets the stage by giving a good amount of background information. She also gives light to how Japanese Americans were treated and adds, "The federal government officially apologized in 1983." Finally she discusses Pearl Harbor today with the memorial. "The memorial is built over the sunken battleship [Arizona], which rests in 40 feet of water at the bottom of the harbor. The ship still leaks drops of oil that rise to the surface of the water. ...The drops of oil made me think of the tears that are still shed over the lives lost in the Pearl Harbor attack, and the sorrows of the war that followed." It's hard to fathom 1,177 people were killed on the Arizona when over one million pounds of gunpowder exploded.
  
  Overall, I think Tarshis did a nice job bringing this event to life and honoring the lives lost with her afterword and additional notes. I learned facts I didn't know such as there were several red flags before the attack and mistakes were made by not bringing attention to these. Sadly, this could have been avoided. Hopefully, we have learned from history. With the I Survived series, Tarshis shows kids the importance of history, and I would recommend this to young readers.
• 
  Susan

  good one.
• 
  Joanna

  Kids love these books! This is the first one I've read of the series, but I definitely see the draw. I surprised to find that the writing was more simple and basic than I had anticipated, and for me the story seemed to lack some buildup and background detail. However, by the end I found myself pretty drawn in. Teachers will love the factual section at the end just as much as kids enjoy the story that puts a face and a name (even a fictional one) to traumatic events in our nation's history.
  
  Summary: Danny and his mother have recently moved from the rough and tumble streets of New York City to Pearl City, Hawaii. Danny's father left when he was very young, and Danny's mother works long hours as a nurse at the hospital to make ends meet. Danny is not particularly thrilled at having been uprooted, and plans to escape on a cargo ship back to New York and his best friend Finn, who was in an accident shortly before Danny left. The morning he plans to leave, however, ends up being a morning that will live in infamy.
• 
  TheCatholicBook

  Lauren Tarshis beautifully combines fiction and historical facts in this book. I have always enjoyed the extra questions and answers, facts, and resources in the back for further reading.
  Note: This was written for children (I read it in about an hour!), so if you're looking for heavier historical reading I would go somewhere else.
• 
  Allison Min

  This book was overall really great. It showed great family and friend relationship and the author was very descriptive and I would definitely recommend this book to readers of all types like fiction lovers, nonfiction lovers, historical fiction lover, and basically all types of readers. But, I would not recommend this book to people that are weak with blood and bodies falling apart.
• 
  Abigail Mohn

  I’d almost forgotten how much I loved these books as a kid! They’re so good for kids to learn history in an entertaining way. Not to mention the fact that there was better character development in these 86 pages than in some 500 page books I’ve read… anyway, these books are so good for kids who want to learn more about history!