I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 (I Survived #17)
This book is a part of the very popular series, I Survived, written for upper elementary students. Each book transports the reader to a significant event in history with a first-person narrative of the occurrence. Set in the summer of 1967, the story is told by young Melody Vega, who is visiting Glacier National Park in Montana with her younger brother, Kevin, and their grandfather.
Melody is no stranger to the park, as she has been visiting it for several summers. But this year is different. Melody’s mother has died, and the visit to Glacier National Park only brings poignant memories of time spent with her. Something else has changed. In summers past, none of them had ever seen a grizzly bear, but this summer one chases Melody from the woods back to the cabin and attempts to break down the cabin door. The children’s grandfather, noting that this not normal grizzly bear behavior, reports the event to the park ranger. What no one knows is that the grizzlies have been lured to human habitation by unscrupulous men bent on using the grizzlies as a tourist draw. Unfortunately for Melody, the grizzly returns, and she must use all her skills to survive.
Well-researched and packed full of action, this book should appeal to both boys and girls. I especially appreciated the back pages loaded with information about grizzly bears. I only wished the mother had not died. Although it added to the plot, I wonder if elementary students would have a hard time reading about the death. Highly recommended.
