I SURVIVED THE DUST BOWL, 1935 (I Survived #25), by Lauren Tarshis, Scholastic, Oct. 7, 2025, Paperback, $6.99 (ages 8-12)
Lauren Tarshis returns with the 25th book in her popular historical fiction I Survived series with I Survived the Dust Bowl, 1935.
The biggest dust storm in U.S. history…
When a drought turns the farmland of the Texas Panhandle into a dry wasteland, eleven-year-old Ray’s world begins to crumble. Fierce dust storms blacken the sky and destroy everything in their path.
Ray and his best friend, Dolly, do their chores and go to school. But there’s nothing they can do to save their struggling town or the thousands of people who are sick from the filthy air.
Then Ray learns a family secret. He sets out to help his parents . . . and ends up caught in the most vicious dust storm of them all. Will Ray make it through? Will he ever see his parents again?
Includes a section of nonfiction back matter with more facts and photos about the real-life event. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic
You can’t go wrong with the I Survived series. I haven’t met a kid yet who doesn’t enjoy them. The short historical fiction novels are usually about 100 pages for the story and another 40ish pages of historical backmatter. The books feature illustrations and photographs (if available) of the true-life events. They’re all fantastic.
In the case of I Survived the Dust Bowl, 1935, author Lauren Tarshis follows Ray during the days up to and following Black Sunday (the day of the biggest dust storm in US history). She captures the fear and desperation of farmers as they are forced to give up their homes and lands they worked so hard to cultivate.
What readers will especially be drawn to is the experience within the storms themselves. The dust and dirt that comes through every nook and cranny; the dust pneumonia that forces them to wear masks and goggles; the complete darkness that surrounds once the storm hits.
And it’s all packaged in an accessible, inviting package that’s entertaining and informative.
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