I set myself two goals this year. One was to read a book a day (it averages out to that, but I actually didn’t read a book every day), and the second was to do 12 Cannonballs. As of this review I have 26 books to go… We’ll see!
So, one of the ways I was trying to read a book a day was to do simple books. Not books that were simplistic (See Jane. See Dick. See Dick and Jane), but easier reads, fun reads, books that are enjoyable even if you do not necessarily learn something. But with the I Survived novel and graphic novel series, you get both, fun and educational. One of my Holiday Exchange books was I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916: A Graphix Book by Lauren Tarshis (original author), adapted by Georgia Ball, and illustrated by Haus Studio. What my giver didn’t know was, I used to enjoy books about sharks. My first book from a Scholastic book order (I think. We used to get these little fliers from a company and I forget which one), was a non fiction book about sharks. So, to read something about shark attacks was up my alley.
The story is quick and easy: a young boy is sent to live with his uncle for the summer, while his parents are once again in a new place. This year there have been sightings of sharks along the coasts of New Jersey, and in fact, actual attacks. But the people do not believe it, thinking it is a hoax to sell papers. After all, sharks have been proven to never attack people, right? And even if they did, the sharks wouldn’t come into their river. But when a couple of the town boys play a trick on the new kid, nobody believes him when he sees an actual shark.
This story is based on the actual events and one boy who was attacked, but lived. The extras at the end show the historic information about the real people who lived and died during and from the attacks. These events would actually start people realizing sharks will attack people, and make them want to learn more. There are also facts on sharks, facts on real attacks, and much more. Part of that more are the illustrations. The cover gives you a lot of what to expect, but they are a bit more detailed, but not overly so. Things are quick and bold, not bogging the reader down. You have a place to put your characters, giving you all the information you need.