3rd
Grade and Up
Five
Epic Disasters (I Survived True Stories #1)
The I
Survived series brings us five horrifying stoires featuring real kids in
the midst of epic disasters.
The Children’s Blizzard, 1888
After weeks of being trapped in their houses,
the temperature -40 degrees, everyone was excited when the temperature changed
to 20 degrees. It was almost springlike. Nobody knew that the worst blizzards
in history was about to strike.
People back then were crazy
to live on the prairie. Not just because of the weather but because of the
grasshoppers. Swarms containing billions of insects could destroy an entire
farms work in a matter of hours.
Cool Fact: The difference between
a snowstorm and a blizzard is wind, not the amount of snow. Blizzards have
strong winds that blow snow, which makes it hard to see. Otherwise it’s just a
regular old snowstorm.
The Titanic, 1912
Really expensive ship, ship hits iceberg, lots
of people died, some people lived, movie was made. We all know the story so
let’s move on.
Very sad disaster, probably
could have been prevented, blah, blah, blah. I know I sound insensitive but we
all know the story by know.
Cool Fact: The most
expensive ticket was about $4,500, equivalent to about $103,000 in today’s
dollars.
The Great Boston Molasses Flood, 1919
In Boston’s North End, a molasses tank
exploded under pressure, killing 21 people. Structural defects in the tank
combined with unseasonably warm temperatures contributed to the disaster.
Why am I just now hearing
about this disaster? Why did I not learn about this in history class?
Cool Fact: Heated up in a
process called distillation, molasses can be turned into a liquid call
industrial alcohol. In this form molasses becomes a key ingredient in the explosives
used in the war against Germany.
The Japanese Tsunami, 2011
The events of March 11, 2011, are now known as
the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. It was actually 3 terrible disasters
bundled together – the powerful quake, the hundreds-miles-wide tsunami, and the
ongoing nuclear disaster.
Even after reading about 3
high school kids who survived this disaster, I have no idea how anyone could
survive this.
Cool Fact: Tsunami is a
Japanese word meaning “harbor wave”.
The Henryville Tornado, 2012
The idea to write about this specific tornado
came from three 5th grade girls who wrote Lauren Tarshis about how
their school and their town was destroyedby a massive tornado.
Nothing
like a natural disaster to bring a community together.
Cool Fact: The word TORNADO
comes from two Spanish words: tornar,
which means “to turn” and tronada,
which means “thunderstorm.”
Nature
Attacks! (I Survived True Stories #2)
The I Survived
series brings up 4 more terrifying tales of real kids up against terrible
forces of nature.
Summer of Terror: The True Story of the
Shark Attacks of 1916
The people of New Jersey learn the hard way
that sharks aren’t as tame as assumed back when the oceans were as mysterious
as distant galaxies.
This chapter gives us more information
about the shark attacks and what life was like at the time of these shocking
events.
Cool Fact: A person is more
likely to be killed by a coconut falling on their head than by a shark.
The Volcano that Changed the World: The
Eruption of Mount Tambora, 1815
Learn how a volcanic eruption in Indonesia
caused weather disasters all over the world.
I was surprised to learn
that the deadliest volcanic eruption in recorded history was Mount Tambora. I
would’ve guess Pompeii was.
Cool Fact: The tallest volcano
in the solar system is on Mars. Olympus Mons in 15.5 miles high.
The Bloodred Night: The Great Peshtigo Fire
of 1871
On the night of October 8, 1871, Peshtigo, a
booming town of 1,700 people, was wiped out of existence in the greatest forest
disaster in American history. The same time as the Great Chicago Fire.
Learning about how many
trees were cut down in this once beautiful Wisconsin forest made me sad.
Cool Fact: Lightning causes
10% of all wildfires. About 90% of wildfires are caused by humans. Campfires,
sparks caused by machinery, and cigarette smoking are most to blame.
The Invisible Monster: One Girl’s Encounter
with the Deadly Box Jellyfish
It was the year 2009 in Australia when a
10-year-old girl was nearly killed by a nearly invisible creature, the box
jellyfish. We learn about the most
deadly and venomous creatures on earth. From eastern brown snakes to
cassowaries, Australia is the world capital of deadly creatures.
Don’t worry everyone; the
girl who was stung is alive and well. These are I Survived books after all.
Cool Fact: Each tentacle on
a box jellyfish is armed with half a million microscopic harpoons called
nematocysts, which are loaded with powerful venom.
Extreme
Weather (I Survived True Stories #3)
The
true stories of these two events plus fascinating facts, profiles of tornado
scientists and storm chasers.
“Everyone Must Be Dead”: The Tri-State
Tornado of 1925
To this day, the Tri-State Tornado remains the
deadliest single tornado ever to strike the U.S. The disaster shocked the
world, and helped change ideas about the dangers of tornados.
On a light note, one of the
towns the tornado went through is called Murphysboro. Funny name huh?
Cool Fact: 235 miles -
length of tornado’s path of destruction, 300 MPH estimated speed of winds, 695
– number of people killed
The Evil Swirling Darkness: The Joplin
Tornado of 2011
Joplin is a small city that sits near where 3
states meet: Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas. Lauren Tarshis wrote about Joplin
before but now she goes into more detail.
It was sad that it took a
second tornado warning alarm for people in Joplin to realize it wasn’t a false
alarm.
Cool Fact: 13 miles – length
of tornado’s path of destruction, 200 MPH speed of winds, 161 – number of
people killed
The American Revolution, 1776 (I
Survived, #15)
Nathaniel Fox has barely paid attention to the
troubles between America and England. How could he, while being worked to the
bone by his cruel uncle? When his uncle’s rage forces him to flee Nate is
propelled toward a dangerous journey into the Revolutionary War.
I was surprised that Lauren
Tarshis wrote about the American Revolution because it’s such a big topic. She
even said that she’s could’ve written 50 books on the subject. I wonder what
disaster she’ll write about next. I’m hoping for a snowstorm.
Cool Fact: The War
officially began in Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The war dragged on
for 8 years, until September 1783.
