When Lauren Tarshis published her first I Survived book in 2010, reluctant readers and avid readers alike clamored for more. That title was I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic: 1912, and with that novel, Tarshis developed a writing model that appeals to many children. In her books, the main character lives during the time of a specific event in history, such as the 1863 battle of Gettysburg, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. The young protagonist lives through the event, and readers learn about the historical facts through his or her story. Tarshis has also used more recent events as the focus of her work when she wrote I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 and I Survived Hurricane Katrina 2004.

One of Tarshis’ books is a nominee for the latest Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916. Long before the movie, Jaws, captured the nation’s fascination, there was a different shark attack that made headlines. A great white shark was reported to be attacking swimmers along the Jersey shore. Our fourth, fifth, and sixth graders have been enjoying the fictional story of Chet Roscow and his encounter with this piece of history.