The American Revolution, 1776

I Survived

by Lauren Tarshis

The battlefield was soaked in blood. Screams of injured soldiers rang through the air. Eleven-year-old Nathaniel Knox knelt behind a rock, his gun clutched in his shaking hands. Nate had been heading to New York City to find his father. But now he was trapped in a terrible gunfight between American and British troops.
This Revolutionary War had started as a thrilling fight for freedom. The 13 American colonies were breaking apart from England, away from King George III. The colonies would band together to become a brand-new country: The United States of America!
But King George was like a snake with America gripped in his fangs - and he didn't want to let go. So now it was war - brutal, bloody war. And America was being crushed by the mighty British army. Thousands of American troops were either dead or dying in filthy British prison ships. General George Washington's army was in tatters.
All Nate wanted was to find his father...and to get out of here alive.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, War, American Revolutionary War

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2017

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]

Lauren Tarshis knows how to spin a good yarn. This episode of I Survived has an 11-year-old orphan named Nate out assisting out on the battlefield during the Battle of Brooklyn Heights (or Battle of Long Island). Even though that battle was one of the larger conflicts, it is not one we all know about. A monument in Brooklyn inspired the story in this book. The American Revolution was quite long, lasting eight years. Tarshis spent months researching the time period and does not shy away from some of the subjects we find difficult to reconcile with like the juxtaposition of slavery and the Declaration of Independence. She puts the heart in history and gives a bite we can sink our teeth into and great recommendations for learning more.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is historical fiction for kids. Each book features a child's fictionalized eye-witness account of a disaster or major historical event. From ancient history like the destruction of Pompeii to more recent events like the Joplin, MO tornado, the series mixes fact with fiction to bring history alive for middle-grade kids. There are 17 books in the series so far.

I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 is told from the perspective of 11-year old Nathaniel Knox from New York. Nathaniel runs away from the home of his Uncle, taking the blame for an injury to his uncle that a slave's child caused by accident. Nathaniel intends to join the crew of a ship and go to sea. He ends up in the middle of a Revolutionary War battle instead. His struggle for survival amid the cannons and gunfire brings the Battle of Brooklyn alive!

I really like this series. The mix of historical fact and a fictionalized story involving a child eye-witness really bring the events to life. The stories have a lot of action, so even reluctant readers will enjoy this series.

I listened to the audio version of this story. Narrated by Holter Graham the book is about 2 hours long. Graham reads at a nice pace with good inflection. I have hearing loss, but was easily able to understand his narration.

I Survived the American Revolution is the 15th book in this series. A new addition to the series, I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, will be published in September 2018.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one in the series completed, but to be honest this wasn’t exactly my favorite. It’s weird because the colonial period as whole interests me, but I wasn’t engaged with the story. The Revolutionary War is a huge period in history to cover and it’s hard to capture it in such a short book.

[Mid-Continent Public Library]

Lauren Tarshis knows how to spin a good yarn. This episode of I Survived has an 11-year-old orphan named Nate out assisting out on the battlefield during the Battle of Brooklyn Heights (or Battle of Long Island). Even though that battle was one of the larger conflicts, it is not one we all know about. A monument in Brooklyn inspired the story in this book. The American Revolution was quite long, lasting eight years. Tarshis spent months researching the time period and does not shy away from some of the subjects we find difficult to reconcile with like the juxtaposition of slavery and the Declaration of Independence. She puts the heart in history and gives a bite we can sink our teeth into and great recommendations for learning more. *Review by Darla from Red Bridge*

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tackles the American Revolution in this latest installment of the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling I Survived series with I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 (I Survived, #15).

British soldiers were everywhere. There was no escape. Nathaniel Fox never imagined he'd find himself in the middle of a blood-soaked battlefield, fighting for his life. He was only eleven years old! He'd barely paid attention to the troubles between America and England. How could he, while being worked to the bone by his cruel uncle, Uriah Storch? But when his uncle's rage forces him to flee the only home he knows, Nate is suddenly propelled toward a thrilling and dangerous journey into the heart of the Revolutionary War. He finds himself in New York City on the brink of what will be the biggest battle yet. Well-written and loaded with facts about those revolutionary times, another great addition to the I Survived...series.

[Caleb Langner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously an elementary aged book but a great story while sharing an important time in US History. I also read it aloud to my Social Studies classes three times so I’m counting it towards my goal 😆

[Johnny G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in about an hour and ten minutes today, and it was great! I really did not know a whole lot about the Battle of Brooklyn, in which Washington was badly out-managed and the American Patriots got their butts kicked. The story is told from the point of view of an 11 year-old boy who escapes his wretched uncle in Connecticut to join the good fight. It's not a really deep story, but does highlight several major events and cultural highlights of 1776. The author wrote in a postscript that she could write 50 books about the Revolutionary War, and I hope she at least writes one from each year the war lasted: 1775-1783. A quick, fun read!

[Daniel Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the I Survived series. It described the Battle of Brooklyn by the British and (German) Hessians in 1776. It was bloody and terrifying, with cannonballs that exploded and killing with bayonets. Interestingly, eating with a fork was a luxury in those days.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Overdrive app *

Narration: 4 stars 🌟
Story: 3.5 stars 🌟

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt this did a great job explaining a difficult concept (war), very realistically, but also age appropriate.

[Caelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I didn't really want to read this book in the little classroom library, this was a really good book.

[BabyLunLun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would never have guess this small , simple children's book took the author 6 months to research.

I am glad to be able to learn more about the American Revolution and I would like to read more historical fiction set around it.

In this book , the author choose Battle of Brooklyn as the backdrop of this book because it is one of the lesser known battles. Those battle strategy talk slipped me by. But I have more respect from George Washington , he went from being a bad general who failed to a good general. And it takes a lot of courage for Americans to fight British which have the help of Hessians and was more well trained and have better weapons in general.

I hope the author would write more in this I Survived series

[Devin Ames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nate is an eleven-year-old boy who, after experiencing personal tragedy and running away from an abusive uncle, finds himself right in the middle of the Revolutionary War. Lauren Tarshis tells the action-packed story I Survived the American Revolution, 1778 through Nate’s eyes as he bears witness to some of the major events of the war. He sees General George Washington often, experiences a small pox epidemic and finds himself front and center in the largest battle of the war, the Battle of Brooklyn. Will Nate survive? What will his future hold? It’s the perfect book to capture the attention of young readers and draw them into a historical event that may otherwise be unrelatable.

This book, part of the "I Survive" series that includes stories about the sinking of the Titanic, the September 11th attacks and the eruption of Mount St. Helens, is an example of formula fiction. In this series, the plot lines follow a familiar pattern. The main character has typically experienced loss in their lives and then find themselves in the middle of an important historic event. There’s a predictable structure to the books, with short chapters, date and time stamps to start each chapter and to orient the reader to the historical timeline, and a home-away-home plot line. The books also provide a scaffolding of social studies concepts so that students can acquire information outside of their text book. I Survived The American Revolution, 1776 humanizes the people of that time period, making the topic more engaging for students. We study the American Revolution in fifth grade, and this book would be great to use to make the details of this historical event more accessible to my struggling and limited readers. I can see myself using this book as a mentor text for writing, as well, to teach dialogue or point of view. It could also serve as a short example of realistic fiction.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It all started in 1776, the story is about a boy named Nate, his dad died when a storm came and killed him. So then Nate gets taken to his only family left, his uncle. Nate became Storch's slave and he became friends with Theo, the maid's son. Her name was Eliza, her husband was sold by Storch a year ago. Then one day, he was playing with Theo. Theo accidentally threw a sharp stick at Storch while he was saying goodbye to his friend. It hit Storch right at the back of his head and he said "AH". Nate didn't want Theo to be hurt so he said it was him. Storch then grabbed him by his neck. Then Eliza hit Storch hard and Nate ran as fast as he could in the forest. Long story short, Nate takes a ship to Brooklyn, New York. I liked the book, it showed how things would have been even if you weren't in war. I would recommend this book to anyone because it is one of the best books I have read.

[Sarah Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot going on it about a boy and his dad died so he has to live with his uncle and his slaves but his uncle is the meanest thing on earth and slaps him and beats him. So one day the boy leaves and goes to NYC and wants to start a new life but it is in the middle of the war so the boy want to be in the war but he is to you so along the way he meats his old pal who worked with his father. And soon after the commander told him that he could be in the war but it would be dangerous and hard. And his job was to be the drummer. So as his adventure was just starting small pox were spreading threw the camp and getting everyone sick but the boy already had small pox so he did not get it. So if you like books with a lot going on then this book would be just right for you.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

118 pages. Another excellent adventure back int time. Great details and character development. Great conflicts and plot in this one. Both boys and girls will enjoy reading this one. The storyline kept me engaged up until the very last page. It has a nice, satisfying ending. There are extra historical notes that are very interesting and may spark some fun research on the side. I like how the author discovered a little-known battle and educated her readers. Very interesting. Highly recommended for Grades 4-5. BRAVO!!!!

[Abel Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "I Survived the America Revolution 1776" by Lauren Tarshis is filled with action. This book is a must read book because you never know what will happen to them. Nathaniel Fox never knew he would be is a brutal war. Everyone should read this book.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It talks about the colonial New York City and a kid named Nate turned into a very brave soldier at only 11

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories for preteen, teens, and all ages. Quick easy reads which include true historical lessons.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

EASILY 5 STARS

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my kiddos had to read this for class and since I’m a nerd, I always try to buddy read with them. Years from now, all of the children who were fans of this series in their youth will be lovers of Historical Fiction and it’ll be because of Lauren Tarshis. So, many thanks to her for keeping the genre alive.

[Stevie Meng · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like all the I survived books and I didn't want this one to end!

[Julia Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

we love a good “I Survived” in 4th grade

[Brooke Gupton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Survived The American Revolution, 1776 is a children’s book in the historical fiction genre. This book is best appropriate for 4th grade. It talks about an eleven-year-old boy named Nate who escapes from his uncle and becomes a helper in the military camp. However, he joins during the time of the American Revolution. This story touches on a variety of issues within the war, besides the war itself.

I would use this book in my classroom as part of a social studies book club. Students would get to choose from a variety of children books based on The American Revolution, I Survived The American Revolution, 1776, included. By choosing this book, students would get the chance to experience what I did and see why this book is a WOW book. They would get immediately drawn in because for some, the story is told from someone close to their age. They could put themselves in his shoes and be interested to read on while learning about the American Revolution. I would also use this book as part of an ELA lesson. The students could read this book at home or in class and we could discuss it the next day. At the end of the book, they would have an assignment where they would put themselves in Nate’s shoes and write about what it would be like for them if they went through what he did.

This is a WOW book for me because although it was based on an event in history, they tell the story in a way that is intriguing and from the point of view of a young boy. You may hear stories about the American Revolution from textbooks and autobiographies or biographies of grown men, but this was telling the story of a boy who was impacted by the American Revolution. The perspective of the young boy is very different from a grown man and that is why I was very interested and considered this a WOW book. I was suggested the ‘I Survived’ series and I am glad I began reading them.

[Leon Alvarado · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazing book called I survived the American Revolution is about a little boy named Nathaniel Fox, Nathan for short, and in his life he lived with his grandpa. His grandpa was so mean to him, that he just ran away without telling his grandpa he was gone. During his escape he hadn't known that he had walked into the horrifying American Revolution. He had gone through so many challenges. Like running through a parade of death with trumpets that played loyal songs while people died. He was in the American Revolution for so long it looked like it wasn't going to end. This book helped me learn that you could give up, but you shouldn't. I can prove this because if Nathaniel Fox can run and barely live through the long, dangerous American Revolution, then challenges in our life should be a piece of cake. I really recommend this book to teachers and students who want to be inspired and should be told to not give up. If I were Nathaniel and I lived to this day, I would say I survived the America Revolution, and I would be proud of myself.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this aloud with my 11 year old. For a few months now we've been reading at least one book about something related the the Revolutionary War or Colonial times, in addition to our other read alouds. This one kept him riveted, especially as it neared the end. We also liked the author's notes and afterword at the end.

My son is now wanting to read more from this series, which is a great series, very well-researched.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

MD, MK, and I gave it 4 stars. CN gave it 5. CN liked the details about the beginning of the war and about the forts. MD liked how Nate set his uncles slaves free in the end. MK said it was a good book. I liked that the author did a lot of researcher make the book as accurate to history as possible.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4th graders loved this as a follow up to a unit on reading history books (non fiction). They had to find out what happened to Nate and I feel like it made this time period come alive for them. Nate is a Relatable main character regardless of the 250 year time difference. Add in the excitement of war and the kids were hooked.

[Royce B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I the this book was awesome because it was about history. The reading age would probably be 4th grade and up. Nate was in the American Revolution and did the impossible. He survived being chased by the enemy in the war. Would Nate die later in the book? Read the book to find out!!!!!

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this book is great. I like the details this book brings out with the American Revolution and how it shows that this war was much more complex and crazy than we think. I can't think of any flaws in this book so I give it 5 stars!