Thursday, November 3, 2011
BOOK FAIR: I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor by Lauren Tarshis
Danny and his mother, a nurse, move from New York to Hawaii to get Danny out of a bad environment. After only a few weeks in Hawaii, their world is turned upside down by the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
I've told my students this is not the sort of book I would normally pick up and read. I only read it because it was a preview book for the Fair and I knew my boys, especially, would be interested in it, so I wanted to check it out for myself. I was pleasantly surprised. The story is about a fictional person in a very real tragedy. It is honest about the lives lost and the damage done. It addresses not only the attack but some of what happened to Japanese Americans during this time in our history.
3.5 out of 5 stars
AR level of 4.3
Recommended for: readers 10 and up (more for content than reading level), fans of historical fiction, readers who enjoy war stories
Cautions: While the story is written for kids, it is about war. Parents and teachers should be prepared to deal with the gravity of that topic with students who read the story.