Popular Books

The I SURVIVED series

Each book in Lauren Tarshis series tells a terrifying and thrilling story from history, through the eyes of a boy who lived to tell the tale.

I Survived The Sinking Of The Titanic, 1912

This is the story of George, who gets to go on the Titanic with his Aunt Daisy and his little sister Phoebe. George is fascinated by the ship. He gets to meet the ship’s captain and designer, and even hears a rumor that there’s a mummy stowed in the ship’s baggage compartment. But when he goes to investigate, he hears a terrible crash…the ship has hit an iceberg?
When I had the idea for the I Survived series, I didn’t think I would write about the Titanic. There were already so many Titanic books! But my editors all said, “You have to do the Titanic!” And they were right. There is always something new to learn about this fascinating disaster.

I Survived The Shark Attacks Of 1916

A few years ago, I read an amazing book called Close to Shore, about an incident I had never heard about: a series of shark attacks on the New Jersey shore in 1916, that ended with attacks in a CREEK miles from the ocean. This story fascinated me,especially the fact that back then people thought that sharks were “tame” and nobody believed a shark would ever attack a human.
In my story,a boy named Chet Roscow comes to live with his Uncle Jerry, who runs a diner in a small New Jersey town. Chet is eager to make friends with a group of boys who swim at the local creek, and thrilled when they invite him to join them . . . until he comes fact to face with a ferocious man-eater. Strangely, researching the book didn’t make me afraid of sharks. They are incredible creatures and many species are endangered today.

I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2004

When I first imagined the I Survived series, I thought I would be writing about events that happened decades in the past. But my editors thought it was important to write about Hurricane Katrina, which was the worst natural disaster in America’s history. I took on the challenge, and in the end this is one of my favorite books in the series. This story focuses on Barry Tucker and his family, who live in the New Orlean’s Lower Ninth Ward, a neighborhood that had been flooded by a hurricane years before. The family plans to evacuate as Katrina is bearing down on New Orleans. But then Barry’s little sister Cleo gets sick, and the family has no choice but to hunker down at home. Barry is swept away by the flood waters, and crosses paths with a killer dog named Cruz. And through it all he learns that he is way braver than he ever imagined.

I Survived The Bombing Of Pearl Harbor, 1941

Pearl Harbor was a surprise bombing attack on American military bases in Hawaii. It was the event that shocked America, and propelled our country into World War II. In my story, Danny Crane is a New York City kid, hanging around gangsters while his mom works 2 jobs to support him. When Danny’s best friend Finn is hurt in an accident, Danny’s mom decides she has to get Danny away from the danger of New York. They move to Hawaii, and soon find themselves in the midst of the terrifying bombing attack.

I Survived The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906

Leo is living all on his own in San Francisco, working selling newspapers and struggling to get by. When his lucky gold nugget is stolen by two young street thugs, Leo is determined to get it back. But then the ground starts the shake, and San Francisco is set afire. What amazed me most while researching this story is learning how quickly San Francisco bounced back from this disaster. Many believed it would never fully recover. But within a few years, this beautiful city was rebuilt.

I Survived The Attacks Of September 11, 2001

Nothing is more important to Lucas than football, but when he gets his third concussion, his parents decide it’s too dangerous for him to keep playing his favorite game. He is sure his Uncle Benny will convince his parents to change their minds, and he skips school to find Benny at the firehouse where he works. But then a terrible attack happens in New York City, and Lucas is caught in the center of one of the most terrifying days in modern American history. I wrote this book after getting thousands of requests from readers, and it has become the most popular I Survived book yet.

I Survived The Japanese Tsunami, 2011

Visiting his dad's hometown in Japan four months after his father's death would be hard enough for Ben. But one morning the pain turns to fear: first, a massive earthquake rocks the quiet coastal village, nearly toppling his uncle's house. Then the ocean waters rise and Ben and his family are swept away-and pulled apart-by a terrible tsunami.

Now Ben is alone, stranded in a strange country a million miles from home. Can he fight hard enough to survive one of the most epic disasters of all time?

I Survived The Nazi Invasion, 1944

In this gripping new addition to the bestselling I SURVIVED series, a young Jewish boy escapes the ghetto and finds a group of resistance fighters in the forests of Poland. Does he have what it takes to survive the Nazis -- and fight back?