I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941

I Survived

by Lauren Tarshis, Scott Dawson (Illustrator)

70 years later, the bombing of Pearl Harbor comes to life for a new generation of readers History's most terrifying moments are brought vividly to life in the action-packed fictional I SURVIVED series Do you have what it takes to survive ... the bombing of Pearl Harbor?

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. 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?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Chapter Books, Adventure

112 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Lauren Tarshis often wonders how she came to spend most of her waking moments thinking about disasters, as the author of the children's historical fiction series "I Survived." Each book takes readers into the heart of history's most thrilling and terrifying events, including the sinking of the Titanic, the Shark Attacks of 1916, Hurricane Katrina, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the San Francisco earthquake, 9/11, and the Battle of Gettysburg. Writing these books often makes her feel very nervous, as though at any moment a volcano could erupt right outside her window. Then again, she has learned a thing or two about avoiding being eaten by a shark.
Lauren is also the author of the the award-winning Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree and its sequel, Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love.

For more information, go to her website: www.LaurenTarshis.com

And check out the I Survived Website: www.Scholastic.com/ISurvived

Reviews

[Julie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Suhailah · Rating 5 out of 5]

◇ 4th installment of the young readers series “I Survived”◇

December 7th, 1941
~ “A date which will live in infamy…”
Franklin D. Roosevelt

When 11-year-old Danny moves to Hawaii, everything soon falls apart as World War II commences in the United States.

My Thoughts
🌊Another action-packed and vivid survival story. Buddy listen with my hubby. We are flying through this series together and loving every minute. ♡

🌊I cannot imagine the fear of being caught in the middle of something so unexpected on such a peaceful and beautiful morning in Hawaii. You never know what may happen each day. Cherish every moment.

🌊I also cannot imagine what it was like being a Japanese-American after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. President FDR issued executive order 9066 which permitted the military to safeguard American citizens under national defense against domestic espionage and sabotage by placing Japanese-Americans in internment camps. Even children were incarcerated. Camps were severely inadequate in meeting basic human needs, and many Japanese-Americans died from stress, trauma, and lack of access to medical care. What an injustice! Typical case of racial prejudice, xenophobia, and hysteria. I am glad this act was later considered shameful and that an apology and monetary value was given to prior victims though the trauma will never be forgotten or erased.

🌊Loved the character Aki! His ability to identify the different war planes at such a young age blew my mind!

🌊I can’t discuss Pearl Harbor without mentioning the popular film from 2001. Though the romantic plot really puts a damper on the war events, it still has some really great moments. The attack scene was unforgettable. The moment when Danny calls for the planes to be refueled and prepared, he hauntingly says, “I think World War II just started.” My heart still sinks hearing that. 💔

[Tiffany Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid installment in the I Survived series. I would definitely recommend checking out Tarshis' author's note at the end where she effectively discusses the broader impact of Pearl Harbor and the treatment of Japanese Americans following the event. I think my main critique of this title would be that it leaves out the fact that Hawaii was taken from Indigenous communities and "made" into a United States territory prior to it becoming a state in 1959. The introduction of this talks about Hawaii being owned by the US, but makes no note of those who lived there prior to colonization.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Daniel Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauren Tarshis hit a gold mine with these books. They’re awesome for kids to understand some of country’s major historical events and disasters. They are very well researched and give the essential facts and relevant motives, etc. And they create a fictional 10 or 11 year old boy and his family to describe the event. It’s a much better way to teach than a dry textbook.

[Dakota · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was kinda gory but kinda fun and exiting. I was a lucky coincidence that he knew how to hot wire the car other wise well read the book if ya wanna find out. In all seriousness it was a good book and I would read it again.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Cadee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"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

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book "The Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941," because it was a great read to get into. I enjoyed all the characters.


In the beginning of the book Danny and his mother lived in New York. Danny's best friend Finn fell and hits his head and gets seriously injured. His mom then decided to move to Hawaii to start over. Then they moved there the islands were bombed and Danny had to find his mom in the hospital. On the way Danny was running on the beach and a Japanese plane came behind him and started shooting at him. Danny made it through the plane attack with his mom. After a couple of days in the hospital helping wounded soldiers, they finally got to go home and rest.


I recommend this book to any middle or high school boy or girl student. I think they will enjoy the excitement of the book.

[Danielle Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Keerston Rummell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that is was cool because it had bombs. Also it was intense because a lot of people got hurt. It was also intense because this actually happened in real life. I would tell you more but then I would spoil it. I really hope you read it.

[Abel Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941" by Lauren Tarshis should be read in every school. This book tell a story about an american disaster is a boys point of view. This book will be one of the best books I have ever read.

[Tracy The Great · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book!

[Misha Rudich · Rating 4 out of 5]

action packed intense story

[Shadyside Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another solid entry in the ISurvived series! I learned quite a bit reading this one. I never payed attention in history class because it was boring. But this book was far from boring so I actually consumed a good dose of U.S. History!

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[David Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read the book "The Bombing of Pearl Harbor" by Lauren Tarshis. This book was a fun short story to read. Danny and his mother just moved to Hawaii from New York City. Danny left his best friend Finn there. Danny and Finn always were getting into trouble. They were best friends and hung out with Earl and his gang. Finn got hurt one day and Danny's mother said she was moving because they needed to start a new life. Danny did not have a father because his father left before he was born. They moved to Hawaii a couple days after Finn had gotten hurt. Danny was upset that he left his hurting friend in the hospital. They got to Hawaii and his mom was needed right away at the base because she was nurse. She worked long hours. Danny was home alone and he met a little kid named Aki. Aki was playing with a baby boar and was about to be attacked by the mother boar. Danny helped him and so Aki dragged Danny by the hand to his house. Danny Met Aki's mother Mrs. Sudo. Aki knew every plane that the Navy had. The next day there were hundreds of planes in the air. It was the Japanese, who surprised the Navy base and all of U.S. Bombs were being dropped all around. Mrs. Sudo took AKi and Danny to the basement where there was a cellar. Danny ran to go find his mother. A few hours later Danny and his mother were united. Most of the base where she worked at had gotten blown away and was on fire from the bombs. There were a lot of men wounded and over 1,000 died. Thirty minutes later America was at war with Japan.

There are a couple of characters in the book. The main character is Danny. He is eleven and is a trouble maker. There is his other friend Finn, who he left in the hospital. There is Earl and his gang, who Danny and Finn hung out with in New York. Aki is the little boy who was Danny's new friend in Hawaii. Mrs. Sudo is the mother of Aki and tries to keep them both safe. There is Danny's mother who works at the hospital. She takes care of Danny and makes sure he is safe.

The setting of this book is in summer time. It is very hot out and school is about to start. The place of this book takes place in Hawaii near Pearl Harbor.

I think the author is trying to say that things change. We as people have to deal with the change of going somewhere new and meeting new people. Things will never be the same after a period of time.

I would recommend this book to any kids and adults. It is an easy and fun book to read. It does not go into much depth on the history, but it gives you little detail about what happened. There are parts of it where it is funny and then heart pounding and thrilling.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 · Rating 5 out of 5]

good one.

[TTdoubleXX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primary Characters : Danny Crane (11) Aki ( 3-4)
Additional Characters :
Finn ( Bestfriend of Danny back in New York)
Mack ( U.S Navy solider )
Mrs./Mr. Sudo ( Aki's Parents)


The story is about a boy named Danny who lived in New York with his mother. Him and his friend Finn get in a bunch of trouble hanging with somewhat of a gangbanger , so his mom decides it is time that they start over. She took a job as a Nurse at the Pearl Harbor (Navy base in Hawaii), Danny is forced to move across the country. Danny makes the biggest decision in his life to run away and go back to New York when all the sudden, BOOOM Hawaii is being attacked by the Japanese Air Force . Danny does what is best and stays to protect his mom, and his new little friend Aki. (less)

[Max Miramontes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story, I Survived The Bombing of Pearl Harbor by Lauren Tarshis is a good book, but not my favorite from the I Survived book series. I picked it because it talks about true events in the genre of Historical Fiction and brings enjoyment to the reader. I didn’t really like this book of the series because I had already knew about the event of Pearl Harbor, but whenever I read these types of books I like to learn new facts about the events, but I wasn’t able to because I knew a lot. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes the genre of Historical Fiction.

[Landan hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book it taught you about history of Pearl Harbor and also the story of Danny a New York boy getting in the wrong groups in society hanging around gangs while his mom works to keep the family afloat. My favorite part was when Danny finds the littl boy in the backyard with the pig.

[Jorge Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that I read was called, “ The Bombing of Pearl Harbor”, by Lauren Tarshis is a good book. To me this book was good because it is about a young boy who survived the bombings of Pearl Harbor and it told his story on how he did it. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about a boy that survived Pearl Harbor or someone who likes the genre Historical Fiction.

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.