Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Price: $10.99 (TP) / $24.99 (HC)
Creator(s): Lauren Tarshis (writer); Gervasio and Jok (artists)
Format: 160 pgs., Full-Color, 6"x9", Trade Paperback/Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-3381-2093-6 / 978-1-3381-2092-9
Age Rating: 8-12
ICv2 Rating: 4 Stars out of 5
This is the first graphic adaptation of one of the very popular "I Survived" series, and it’s an entertaining story on many levels. Oddly, the way the story is told, surviving the sinking isn’t the scariest part of the story, since the graphic format makes the encounter with an armed thief in the story more directly and immediately terrifying.
The main character in the book is a boy whose mother has died, and he’s only on the ship because his aunt is recently widowed, and chose to take George and his sister Phoebe on the trip that had been planned as a trip with her now-late husband. I didn’t care for George’s behavior, which included a casual disregard for rules, laws, and his own personal safety for much of the story. On the other hand, the knowledge gained from his misbehaving adventures served him in good stead in surviving the sinking ship, so the author may have considered this to be necessary. The later behavior of the scary thief was also kind of odd, and not really explained in this story.
Overall, though, this is an exciting adventure story that appeals to kids. The graphic version should do the same.
--Nick Smith: Library Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.
