I Survived the Children’s Blizzard, 1888

I Survived

by Lauren Tarshis

Bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tackles the Children's Blizzard of 1888 in this latest installment of the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling I Survived series. Eleven-year-old John Hale has already survived one brutal Dakota winter, and now he's about to experience one of the deadliest blizzards in American history. The storm of 1888 was a monster, a frozen hurricane that slammed into America's midwest without warning. Within hours, America's prairie would be buried under ten feet of snow. Hundreds would be dead, thousands terrified and lost and freezing. John never wanted to move to the wide-open prairie. He's a city kid, not a tough pioneer! But his inner strength is seriously tested when he finds himself trapped in the blinding snow, the wind like a giant crushing hammer, pounding him over and over again. Will John ever find his way home?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Historical, Audiobook

144 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2018

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

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first read in the series; I was disappointed that it took two thirds of the story before we got to the main event. Much of the happenings in the months before serve to foreshadow the upcoming storm, and while important historical information was provided, I can't help but feel as if it was put in to draw out what was really a short and simple story. Once the blizzard struck, however, convincing writing fuels your imagination to feel and see the blizzard around you. At that point I became more invested and was eager to see how all the schoolchildren survived and what the actual course of events would be. Would they be rescued? Would they start out on their own and head for the closest building in town? Would they stay in the school until the blizzard was over?

I can see why kids like this series so much, there's adventure and high sense of relatability. Adults seem to like the series too, and I expected to give this a higher rating, so I'll try another book or two to see if this is just a one-off slight miss for me.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Lauren Tarshis does a great job of bringing to life the brutal and deadly Dakota blizzard of 1888 in this I SURVIVED #16 edition.

The morning seemed almost warm, 30 degrees after the freezing temperatures. Young John and Franny were ecstatic they could return to school, but later in the day, the ominous grey shadow appeared in the sky growing big and dark by the second quickly moving toward them and the school.

Within hours the American prairie-land was covered with ten feet of snow with deadly winds and......

"The entire building shook. The window shattered and snow and ice exploded into the schoolhouse."

Cries and screams! Where is Franny?

As the story continues, the storm intensifies, rescue efforts begin, but all are not successful.

Another well done I SURVIVED story.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrator: Andrew Eiden did a good job but sometimes it was hard to hear him from my Overdrive app on the phone in the car and I had to rewind a few times (Could be just my Android but dunno.. I did have the volume boost on) to catch some things I missed.

This one was a bit rough in the beginning for me but it picked up rather quickly and I was soon lost in the story.

I wanted to bring everyone warm clothes, blankets, and firewood. Shivered in sympathy at the brutal cold and wind :(.

I remember hearing about the Children's Blizzard though I couldn't tell you if it was because they covered it in highschool or my own reading somewhere along the way. Mysteries at the Museum brought it to my attention again with a story about a teacher who led her students to safety and then a friend on here was reading a book about it as well.
This one was one of the first I put on hold when I searched for more in the series.

It is hard to fathom this storm sometimes, it amazes/saddens me on all levels. The bravery of the people who survived too is inspiring.
(That came out better than my tired brain let me type haha)

The ending of this one as well had me tearing up (probably repeating myself in these reviews but can't help it :) ).. not sure how I would have fared in this storm.

Another one I would recommend.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tackles the Children's Blizzard of 1888 in this latest installment of the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling I Survived series. What I especially like about this series is that it covers well-known disasters such as the sinking of the Titanic, the Japanese Tsunami, and the attack on Pearl Harbor but also includes little-known disasters such as the topic of this book that I like most readers have never heard about.

Eleven-year-old John Hale has already survived one brutal Dakota winter, and now he's about to experience one of the deadliest blizzards in American history. The storm of 1888 was a monster, a frozen hurricane that slammed into America's Midwest without warning. Within hours, America's prairie would be buried under ten feet of snow. Hundreds would be dead, thousands terrified and lost and freezing. John never wanted to move to the wide-open prairie. He's a city kid, not a tough pioneer! But his inner strength is seriously tested when he finds himself trapped in the blinding snow, the wind like a giant crushing hammer, pounding him over and over again. Will John ever find his way home?

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read several books in this series and have always enjoyed them, but this one was a pretty big disappointment. So much of the book takes place before and after the blizzard that it doesn't feel like a book about this horrible storm at all. Also, if you take the Q & A section away at the end of the book, I don't think the reader would understand just what the blizzard was and why it was such a terrible thing. The reader should be able to get that from the book itself, and it just doesn't happen with this one.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

108 pages. Another great survival story. This time a boy named John Hale is living with his family in the new Dakota Territory and has to endure a monster blizzard while he and others are at a prairie school. Lots of additional information about the historical period and other related topics at the end of the book. Kids will love this new addition. Highly recommended for Grades 4-5.

[Wendopolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why kids like these books—this one was exciting with a protagonist the reader cared about.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

First sentence: A deadly blizzard raged across the prairie, and eleven-year-old John Hale was trapped in a frozen nightmare.

Premise/plot: John Hale is facing his second winter in Dakota territory. It may be his last if he can't outsmart a super-storm.

It may be his second winter, but John Hale still doesn't feel like he belongs there; he still feels like a city boy. (His family was originally from Chicago.) He doesn't have any close friends though that may be because he distances himself from the other students.

Will this storm prove he belongs?

My thoughts: I believe this is the first 'I Survived..." book I've read. Perhaps if I'd read this one in elementary school I would have found it exciting, intense, compelling. Perhaps. Though the fact that it says 'I Survived' right in the title takes away some of the suspense. Readers know that John Hale couldn't possibly die right from the start. Since the suspense element was never really there for me... were there other elements that would lead me to love it? Not really. I liked John Hale well enough. I didn't dislike him. But. He is really the only character that is developed at all. Is it asking too much that at least one other member of his family--perhaps all members of his family--be slightly more developed? More attention is paid to a snake, "King Rattler," than to any member of his family or any of his classmates. Keeping it personal, the more a book includes SNAKE and SNAKE DEVELOPMENT the less likely I am to enjoy it.

I have no other book in the series to compare it to. Perhaps this isn't the best in the series? Perhaps others would be more enjoyable? Perhaps I'm too adult to enjoy these?

[Nicole✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting and educational story! I especially liked hearing the different ways people survived the blizzard.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is based on true stories of the real Blizzard of 1888 the swept across the plains. I learned a lot for the story itself and especially from the questions and answers the author included at the end of the book. I have always admired the pioneers who braved the elements and back breaking work of settling the west and this story brought it down to real individuals and families!

And personal note: Yesterday I was working on Jeff's genealogy for his great great aunt Theeta Blake and her husband James Milton Burchfield and family who lived in Wessington Springs, South Dakota. They moved there before 1910 and so probably missed the big storm. They had lived in Iowa before that. I thought it was interesting that yesterday I heard of Wessington Springs, South Dakota for the first time and then today I read a true story about the town. I love genealogy!!

This is a children's book and I highly recommend it for kids from 8 on up to adults.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy true story about a severe blizzard that hit the Dakota prairie in 1888

[Levi Winkelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this I Survived book as I do all of them. Lauren Tarshis has a way of captivating her audience. She has a vary active imagination. She makes everything come to life. I really enjoy reading her books. She is one of my favorite authors. And The Children's Blizzard was no different. She made it come to life and I felt that I was there. I would highly recommend her I survived series to anyone.

[Abel Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "I survived The Children's Blizzard, 1888" by Lauren Tarshis is an amazing book. I recommend this book to sixth graders because the main character is around the age 11 to 13. This book tells a great story about a middle schooler who doesn't have much money. I think every sixth grade teacher should read this to their students or have their students read it.

[Lorelai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so vivid, and awesome. The writing is absolutely fantastic, and feels so energetic. Lauren puts so much effort into all books, and the "I Survived" series can be so fantastic, but this one is my favorite so far.

[Dianna Winget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this great middle grade story about the Children’s Blizzard of 1888, an event I’d never heard of. This is a quick, engrossing read, full of historical details that young (or not so young) history fans will enjoy.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this over a couple of days while I cleaned and ran errands. I have a lot of respect for Lauren Tarshis and her well-researched, manageable, engaging stories that get kids reading historical fiction.

[Deb Rankin-Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

My eight year old grandson is reading this book. I could not believe how harrowing a story it is! I would have had nightmares reading this at age eight.

Heck - I may have nightmares reading this at 66!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I learned so much from this book. This was the first book in this series that I've read and I'm ashamed I haven't read any of these books before since I graduated with a degree in history. I will definitely read more of this series.

[Justin]

It was a good book and I like the part when him and his friends Pete, Rex, and Sven try to stop King Rattler.

[Missy LeBlanc Ivey · Rating 5 out of 5]

AR POINTS: 2 - READING LEVEL: 4.3
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I love the "I Survived" series for younger kids...true stories written with adventure and in a way they will enjoy while learning at the same time. This one I will probably purchase for my younger grandsons. It's a great American frontier story!

Eleven year old John Hale was a city kid from Chicago when, in September 1887, his family up and moved west to Prairie Creek, Dakota Territory, which wasn't quite a "state" yet. in hopes of a better living. The government, with the new Homestead Act in place, was issuing 160 acres to each family for FREE...if they were able to farm the land for five years.

John hated the cold and freezing winters and had to walk back and forth 1-1/2 miles from home to school each day with his younger sister, Frannie. There were only three other boys his age in the classroom and at first he didn't have any friends and felt like an outsider. But, one day the boys were talking about the "King Rattler" that all the kids knew about and talked about. They were going to try and be the heroes to kill it and actually invited John to join and help them. This little adventure helped to bond the boys.

Then winter came and it was as harsh as usual at -20 degrees. The kids all had to stay home from school for a week, but then had a sudden break in the weather. They woke up to 30° warm weather. It felt like summer. The kids got dressed fairly warm and headed off to school, excited to see their friends again. The sun was out and since it felt fairly warm, John and his sister, Frannie, left their scarves and mittens home.

But, while they were out at recess playing, the kids noticed an ominous datk gray cloud heading for them, and coming upon them pretty fast. It was billowing and growing closer and spread across the land. Before they knew it it was upon them...the temperature suddenly dropped and the storm came with a rumbling noise. The kids ran back into the schoolhouse. Day suddenly turned to night and the monster blizzard had the sound of a speeding train.

This blizzard was so strong that it shook the schoolhouse and broke windows out. They had almost burned up all the coal to try and keep warm when a group of men came to rescue the kids. They loaded them up in wagons to bring them to the safety of the hotel that was about 15 minutes away. But, something spooked the horse that was pulling the wagon that John and his three buddies were in and it became a runnaway wagon. They had to jump or else risk being crushed. These four boys ended up digging out the center of a huge hay bale and crawling in and survived the night out of the wind before they were found.

This storm was like a frozen hurricane with winds up to 70 mile per hour and was the worst snowstorm ever recorded at the time. Temperatures reached -40°. This storm was known as the "children's storm" because at least 100 of the 235 people that died were children.
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To learn more about this blizzard on Jaunary 12, 1888, there is an adult version, "The Children's Blizzard" by David Laskin, now on my To Read list .

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found I Survived: The Children’s Blizzard, 1888 particularly interesting because it takes place in my area and I read it on the day of an April blizzard. Like in the book, the temperature rose to 50-60 degrees, and then the next day the winds picked up and it rained, hailed, rained, sleeted and then began to snow. It’s not an easy place to live and this book made me so grateful for modern conveniences! Children will enjoy it, too because it has a lot of action and perilous situations. Overall, this is one of the best I Survived books in the series (and it was fun to see an organization in my town thanked in the back of the book!)

[Grady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story isn't as good as some of Lauren Tarshis' other books. The first part of the book is very slow, and not very exciting for a book meant for kids. The only part where a blizzard pops up is in between the middle and end of the book. Before that is just preparing and the kids joking about how mean there teacher is. (SPOILER) The only part that is actually exciting to read is when the boys kill King Rattler. But, overall, when the blizzard arrives, they just hide in a haystack, and it is overall boring until the King Rattler part. This book really disappointing me compared to other Lauren Tarshis books.

[McCaid Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the setting of this one! It was a great glimpse into life back in that time period. The characters all felt so real, more so than they usually do. It was very easy to get inside John's head and view the harsh prairie through his eyes.
The subplots were interesting and tied together very well. The King Rattler situation added an extra layer to a packed storyline.
All in all, another great installment in this series, with fleshed out characters, a vicious blizzard, and the message of hope at its core.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy these easy-reader historical stories--they are great for reluctant readers and cover important historical events. The problem I have with this one is that there are really only about 10 pages or so dedicated to the actual blizzard. Most of the book focuses on the harsh pioneer life in the Dakotas and John's family adjusting to their new home...which, while interesting, isn't really what I was looking to read about. For kids looking for a stuck-in-a-blizzard survival story, this one will be a little disappointing.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selected this book for book clubs in my classroom thus year and I think my students will love it! This has become such a popular "series" and for good reason. The author keeps you in the edge of your seat- and it is a fast, easy read for students as well.

[Jorge Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that I read was called “I Survived the Children’s Blizzard”, By Lauren Tarshis. This book is about an 11 year old boy surviving one of the deadliest blizzards in American history. I recommended this book because it was a great book.

[Vickie Brannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great companion book for westward expansion for fifth graders. They would enjoy this one!

[Kristen Luppino · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read one of these before but I get why the kids like it! It was well done and dealt hard times ans some of the issues of "settlers" also.

[Sarah Monzon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 year old loves these books. This one had so much suspense that it was almost too much for his sensitive soul but he was super engaged with it.

[Jonathan Donihue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful adventure in the I Survived series. I really need to read more books set in this 19th century America. It's a compelling time.