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A review by bookishrealm
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005 by Lauren Tarshis
4.0
For some reason I have this idea in my head that I need to work through popular children book series. This series in particular circulates very well at libraries and is almost impossible to keep on the shelf. With fictional characters woven into actual historical catastrophes, Tarshis creates books that are both fun and accessible to a younger audience.
I Survived Hurricane Katrina is a close look at the events the preceded and proceeded the hurricane in 2005. I still remember all of the new reports that came in after the hurricane passed over New Orleans. There are still images that I can't get out of my head. Tarshis takes the events of this catastrophe and creates a fictional story that follows Barry and his family as they try to evacuate. Unfortunately, they are unable to make it out in time and Barry is ultimately separately from his family forced to survive the storm by himself.
What I loved most about this story was Tarshis' ability to utilize writing to re-create what others may have experienced during the hurricane. It's clear that she spent a lot of time researching and thinking about how to effectively create a narrative that was both accessible and easy to follow for children, but doesn't stray far from the facts of the actual events. The pure terror that is captured in Barry's character was especially hard to read as a parent, but I'm sure is true to what a lot of families experienced that day. The story also has these amazing illustrations that help paint a clearer picture of the events for younger readers. Tarshis also includes author notes with questions that are still asked today. Why did it take so long for the government to respond? And if they knew the storm was going to be bad, why didn't they take the necessary precautions to make sure the people of New Orleans were provided with safety? I have my own personal thoughts about the answers to these questions, but I'm glad that Tarshis was even willing to put them out there. One of the final things that stood out to me was Tarshis acknowledging that it was impossible for her to feel comfortable including a happy ending to this story after all of her research. It is clear that this is a story/event that impacted her greatly.
Overall, this was a great pick from the series. I'm excited to dive into the rest of the books and learn more about these disasters that have happened all over the world. This would be a great series to check for kids that around 3rd-4th grade especially if they love history.
I Survived Hurricane Katrina is a close look at the events the preceded and proceeded the hurricane in 2005. I still remember all of the new reports that came in after the hurricane passed over New Orleans. There are still images that I can't get out of my head. Tarshis takes the events of this catastrophe and creates a fictional story that follows Barry and his family as they try to evacuate. Unfortunately, they are unable to make it out in time and Barry is ultimately separately from his family forced to survive the storm by himself.
What I loved most about this story was Tarshis' ability to utilize writing to re-create what others may have experienced during the hurricane. It's clear that she spent a lot of time researching and thinking about how to effectively create a narrative that was both accessible and easy to follow for children, but doesn't stray far from the facts of the actual events. The pure terror that is captured in Barry's character was especially hard to read as a parent, but I'm sure is true to what a lot of families experienced that day. The story also has these amazing illustrations that help paint a clearer picture of the events for younger readers. Tarshis also includes author notes with questions that are still asked today. Why did it take so long for the government to respond? And if they knew the storm was going to be bad, why didn't they take the necessary precautions to make sure the people of New Orleans were provided with safety? I have my own personal thoughts about the answers to these questions, but I'm glad that Tarshis was even willing to put them out there. One of the final things that stood out to me was Tarshis acknowledging that it was impossible for her to feel comfortable including a happy ending to this story after all of her research. It is clear that this is a story/event that impacted her greatly.
Overall, this was a great pick from the series. I'm excited to dive into the rest of the books and learn more about these disasters that have happened all over the world. This would be a great series to check for kids that around 3rd-4th grade especially if they love history.