I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79

I Survived

by Lauren Tarshis, Scott Dawson (Illustrator)

The beast beneath the mountain is restless...
No one in the bustling city of Pompeii worries when the ground trembles beneath their feet. The beast under the mountain Vesuvius, high above the city, wakes up angry sometimes -- and always goes back to sleep. But Marcus is afraid. He knows something is terribly wrong -- and his father, who trusts science more than mythical beasts, agrees. When Vesuvius explodes into a cloud of fiery ash and rocks fall from the sky like rain, will they have time to escape -- and survive the epic destruction of Pompeii?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Adventure, Chapter Books

108 pages, Paperback

Published August 26, 2014

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

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the I Survived book that is set the earliest in history. Pompeii is fascinating and I loved the story that Tarshis established as our window into that time period. We are viewing Pompeii through the eyes of 11-year-old Marcus. He is a slave and the restrictions he faces in society are enlightening and frustrating to behold. Also very much a part of the plot was the barbaric gladiator culture -- the icons who fought to the death in the arena and were paraded through the streets on their way to the "games." Not a pretty picture. The Q&A at the back of the book sheds more light on the time period as well as info on her research. A solid addition to the series! Now, on to 1776.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcus is a slave in ancient Rome. His father has been sold as a gladiator. As Marcus misses his father and feels afraid of the strange earth tremors that have been shaking Pompeii. he wonders how the other residents of the city can just ignore the shaking, continuing on with Gladiator games and parades, shopping in the marketplace, and other daily activities like nothing is wrong. When the mountain starts spewing ash, rocks and heat, Marcus and his father warn the people of Pompeii and then attempt to escape. Can they get out of the city before the mountain explodes?

This series is historical fiction written for middle-grade kids. Each book is a great mix of historical fact and fictionalized story. The main characters are children who tell eye-witness accounts of how they survived a dangerous event in history. Ranging from modern events like 9/11 to ancient disasters like the destruction of Pompeii, this series tells the tale in an age-appropriate way. This series could definitely be used in a classroom setting as supplemental reading on history, exciting stories to tempt reluctant readers or just as part of a classroom or school library. The books would also be great for reading out loud at home. As an adult, I enjoy reading middle-grade books as a bit of a break between heavier adult fiction. I love history so I enjoy this series just as much as most kids! :)

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii is the 10th book in this series. There are 16 books, with a 17th coming out in September 2018. Each book is about 100 pages long, so the length is perfect for middle-grade students or adults wanting a quick, entertaining read.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my 8 year old son and thought it was a great mix of interest and learning. The story takes place in Pompeii leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the year 79 A.D. The reader learns about Roman times, a period of great learning and discovery. It was also a period where slavery was commonplace and entertainment was via watching gladiator fights, in which slaves were pitted against each other. The people believed in the Greek Gods which are also part of the story. The book does an excellent job of incorporating many facets of history into this novel without it seeming too intrusive.

I, myself, thoroughly enjoyed this tale and felt like it was a great tool for educating children about history. If I hadn’t been reading with my son, I’m sure he would have skipped the afterward which talks about Mount Vesuvius, the Roman times, and further history of the destruction of Pompeii and the eventual discovery of a buried city. I thought this was a great addition and was glad it was there for additional talking points. I would recommend this for 6-10 year olds. This was the first “I Survived” book that we have read together, but we will definitely be reading more!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beast beneath the mountain is restless...I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 (I Survived, #10) by Lauren Tarshis covers the massive destruction of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the complete destruction of Pompeii. No one in the bustling city of Pompeii worries when the ground trembles beneath their feet. The beast under the mountain Vesuvius, high above the city, wakes up angry sometimes -- and always goes back to sleep. But Marcus is afraid. He knows something is terribly wrong -- and his father, who trusts science more than mythical beasts, agrees. When Vesuvius explodes into a cloud of fiery ash and rocks fall from the sky like rain, will they have time to escape -- and survive the epic destruction of Pompeii? The author attempts to give us some idea of what the city's inhabitants likely experienced during their last moments of life.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with one of my students and we both really enjoyed it. He is going into 5th grade and found this book fascinating. He even rented an educational movie on it and watched it over and over again because this book was so good!

I highly suggest this book, even to adults, because it is a fast, easy read and you learn about a time in history!

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can*]

First dud with the series..just found the writing lackluster with this one.

DNF at 50%

[Brittney Souter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another win for our 2nd grade read aloud

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for middle school students, this is the fact-filled, exciting story of Marcus, a slave-boy of that age and his father, Tata [Latin for Daddy], and how they escape the Vesuvius eruption of 79 A.D. and head for Rome. The author also works into the story details of Pompeiian life and civilization. I read this in under half an hour and as a possible Christmas gift for one of my grandchildren. The whole "I survived" series is worth seeking out for young readers of 4th to 7th grades.

Recommended.

[Jonathan Donihue · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little book! A short work of historical fiction, I Survived: The Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 is an elegantly written, young adult novelette with a very tight focus.

The author obviously did her research. The afterward includes a Q and A on related topics ranging from Roman history to archaeological findings to the history of gladiatorial games. All this bundled up with some soft science, heart felt spiritually, and relatable characters left me wanting more.

I will definitely be reading more books in the I Survived series.

[Antara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with my daughter, these books are great for introducing children to historical events and catastrophes. The main characters, kids themselves, are resilient and, as the titles say, SURVIVE through life and death situations - good inspiration for young readers to find courage in themselves and learn some history.

[OjoAusana · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are really great kids books, dont waste any time getting to the action, have good characters but rely on just a few and of course the best part, its historical lol and its less of a "oh what fun and magical this is!" than magic tree house and much more realistic comparatively.

[Jessie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was ok they should have had added more details

[Shadyside Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a tough read. Not a whole lot of positive events take place. The time period being thousands of years ago also made it not as enjoyable or relatable. By no means a bad book, just not one of my favorites in the series.

[Callie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this is YA, but oh my god this is bad. Idk why I was so interested in this series when I was a child and I really am not excited to read this w my students. This book gave me nothing, and lowkey is problematic. Sigh…

[Wendy Banker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this with my 9 year old and he absolutely loved it. Now he is reading anything he can about active volcanos around the globe.

[Natalie Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son checked this out at his school library and was excited to share the book with me.

[Adam Batten · Rating 1 out of 5]

Personal Response:
I hated the book The Destruction Of Pompeii , because it related to the Odyssey. I did not like the Odyssey, so this was not the book for me. As the reader I did like the other books from the author, Lauren Tarshis, but not this one because of the topic.

Plot:
The book is about a boy named Marcus that lives in AD 79. He is in Pompeii when the volcano erupts. He is running for his life and is trying to find his dad, Tata, at the same time. He was having visions of things out of the Odyssey, and then he would wake up and the book would switch back to the story. Now you have to read the book to see what fiction twist the author adds on the realistic fiction book. It is up to the reader to find the real information on this historical event and where the story part ties in.

Characterization:
The main character is Marcus a eleven year old boy. He is not described much in the book, but knowing the story as the reader I have an idea on who Marcus is. It is in the time zone of AD 79 so Marcus is a kid that plays outside, but is revealed to some intense violence from the time frame. He is close to his dad, Tata, and his mom died before he even knew her. Growing up without a mom has gave him a more manly mold growing up.

Recommendations:
I would not recommended this book to anyone because I hated it. I did not like what the book was about. I like the other books by the same author, because they are on historical events not Odyssey related events. As a reader I would not read this book unless you like the Odyssey.

[Pam · Rating 1 out of 5]

I realize that this book was not written for adults, but I believe excellent writing is for anyone. This book had a tedious, boring writing style. I could barely get through it. Plus, I didn't think it did a good job telling the story. For example, why were there a herd of dead sheep on the mountain before the eruption? Never explained. Also, in ancient Rome, I think it was every man for himself...I simply do not believe a slave and his son, once they found freedom would return to a dangerous situation and risk capture, torture, death to tell their former master (and others who were strangers) that doom approaches. They should have run. Finally, the dad gets injured in Pompeii (why did they ever go back??? It would've been more believable if there was someone they loved back in the city), and can't walk/run so he tells the son to leave him. But then he can climb down a ladder and move himself out of a tunnel to safety? I thought he was too hurt to move? This story could've been really well done, but it just was not. I wouldn't read another one. (Oh, and L read a different I survived, but gave up halfway through because she didn't like it at all. And she is the target audience, at 8 years old.)

[Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Response
I liked this book because it is historical fiction. It is a book that have a lot of real events. I liked this book because it was short.

Plot Summary
This book was about a volcano that erupted and destroyed Pompeii.In the beginning Marcus’ father was sold to the gladiators,then Marcus felt the ground shake. He was afraid. He tried to save his father. Next he saved his father and they escaped to Mount Vesuvius. After, they went to Pompeii to warn the people of the eruption. In the end they found a tunnel and they survived.

Recommendation
I would recommend this book to everyone. I would recommend this book to both genders and people of all ages.This book would be good for people who like action.

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcus wonders about his dad all the time, he got sold because they are slaves. Marcuse knows something is wrong because the ground keeps trembling and Vesuvius wakes up and then goes back to sleep. Marcuse wonders what is happening and his father a scientist wonders too. When the volcano explodes will the city get to escape in time?
I liked this book because how they survived is one of the problems but in every book of I Survived there is another personal problem of the main character which in this case is Marcus' father. I would recommend this book to young kids from 8 to 10 and to people who like reading about adventure.

[Braiden Boswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I Survived The Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 was an "Ok" book. It was not one of those books that I really liked but it was good. The book was about The eruption of the volcano, Mount Vesuvius, it crumbled the city into pieces. My favorite part of the book was when the earth split and there was a wall of fire that erupted out of the earth. I think that that pretty cool. If I had to suggest the book to anybody is should be to somebody who is not the best at reading.

[Osorio Salvador · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because of the way the author included detail about the boy. There were always earthquakes, and the Romans thought that the gods were going to do something about the volcano. They knew that the Pompeii would occur. I think it was nice that the boy helped the old lady and he gave her an apple.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series I've read, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I've long had an interest in history and Pompeii. The book was a fast read with sympathetic lead characters that engage you, while teaching some historical facts wrapped up in an entertaining story. Great idea to get young adults or possibly anyone more interested in history.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are great for kids who maybe don't love Who HQ due to its nonfiction storytelling. The only real problem I found here is that there was a bit of a problematic message re slavery.

That said, my students would love this. It's def not on their reading level (6th grade) but it'd be a great Student Selected Reading book.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

History mixed with daring and heroic adventure.

Impeccably written to capture your attention, make you feel and educate all at once.
I loved this book. My son's who are 9 and 13 love these books.
I can't wait to read more in the I survived series.

Highly recommended for reluctant readers.

[Amy Bodkin · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a cute idea for a book, but it is written applying many modern beliefs and biases on its ancient characters. This is always dangerous because it leads us to misunderstand those that came before us.

[Jacque · Rating 5 out of 5]

MK gave it 4 stars , CN and MD give it 5 stars. I also gave it five stars. These “I Survived” books are great. They have enough action to keep kids engaged and enough research and fact to teach. This one was especially good because my kids have been fascinated by Pompeii for awhile.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcus lived as a slave in Pompeii two thousand years ago. His father was also a slave sold to be a gladiator. By a thrilling turn of events, they are reunited and barely escape the city before it is destroyed by the explosion of Mount Vesuvius.

[Danielle Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The I Survived series makes learning about real life tragedies through a fictional character's eyes so interesting. Lauren Tarshis does a great job of teaching and entertaining readers. Even though I am very much out of the target audience for the series, I find them absolutely fascinating.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best part of reading this series is trying to figure out how someone survives the impending doom/ disaster (plus the facts that follow about the actual event!)