When The Worst Happens
Extraordinary Stories of Survival
by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
illustrated by David Parkins
Annick Press, 2014
ISBN 978-1-55451-683-4 hc
ISBN 978-1-55451-682-7 sc
$24.95 (hc) / $14.95 (sc), 128 pp, ages 9 – 12
annickpress.com
This book is four true stories of kids who have survived in dangerous situations. These stories also talk about how people struggle with their emotions in these stressful situations. The stories in this book are broken up into parts and the reader has to turn to different pages in the book to find out what will happen next. One of my favourite stories was called “Deep Beneath the Earth.” This is the story of thirty-three miners from Chile who were trapped in a steel refuge in an underground mine. The story focuses on the youngest miner, 19-year-old Jimmy Sanchez. The miners had to survive with only two to three days of food and water and had to ration their supplies which they made last for two weeks. The miners grew weaker in the refuge as they became scared and hungry. Above the miners, people were working to find ways to rescue the men. The miners soon heard a familiar sound of a drill above them and after some time the drill bit burst through their refuge. Through this hole the miners sent a note stating “We are all well in the shelter, the 33 of us.” Once the rescuers heard this they used the hole to send down food, water, medicine and soap. The miners were underground for 52 days after the note was first received. Above ground a larger hole was built and a capsule was sent down to bring up the miners one by one. All 33 miners were rescued in this amazing event. I really liked how the story kept me wanting to read what would happen next. I liked how these were true stories that had happened to real kids. This is a very good book for readers who like adventure and like to read about survival stories.
Review by Brennen, age 12, grade 7.
This review is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Jan/Feb 2017 issue.
