Early on the morning of December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a massive surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Two brief and terrible hours later, much of the American fleet lay sunk or burning; 2,388 Americans were dead; and the United States and Japan were at war. Dozens of children witnessed this pivotal moment in history. And hundreds of young servicemen—both American and Japanese—came of age on this unforgettable day. Now, for the first time, their gripping eyewitness accounts are woven together in a powerful retelling of the events at Pearl Harbor. Award-winning author Shelley Tanaka re-creates every harrowing and heroic moment through the memories of young people who were actually there.
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"Even though this isnt the book I read it still good. The book i read i handed back in so i do not remember the correct book but the story is still the same. The attack was devistating but very intersting. I would reconmend it."
— Creighton (4 out of 5 stars)
“According to the author’s note ‘the text, including any dialogue,’ is based on first-person written accounts and on interviews. Although there is almost certainly some imaginative recreation here, the stories vividly convey a sense of what Pearl Harbor was like for these survivors.”
— Children’s Literature“In the newest title in the excellent I Was There series, Tanaka reconstructs key events of the attack on Pearl Harbor, based on the harrowing, real-life experiences of four young men…The account is riveting. She includes plenty of sensory details and writes in a clipped, concise manner that clearly conveys the danger and frenzied pace of the events.”
— Booklist" An excellent history book for children, Attack on Pearl Harbor relates the story of that tragic day in vivid pictures and enthralling narratives. "
— Laura, 12/12/2012" This book may confuse a child reading this to obtain facts about Pearl Harbor. "
— Reba, 10/21/2012Shelley Tanaka is an award-winning children’s book author and editor. She is the author of Amelia Earhart and Mummies: The Newest, Coolest & Creepiest from Around the World, as well as several other books in the I Was There series. She lives in Kingston, Ontario.
Charles Carroll is an actor and voice-over artist residing in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He is an avid film buff and stays active in the local film community.