Series · historical fiction
I Survived
The I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis has 26 books and is best read in publication order, starting with I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 (2010). The next book, I Survived the Night of the Lions, 2025, is due 15 September 2026.
- Books
- 26 books
- First published
- 2010
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 (2010) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 - Book 2:
I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 - Book 3:
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005 - Book 4:
I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941 - Book 5:
I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906 - Book 6:
I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 - Book 7:
I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 - Book 8:
I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011 - Book 9:
I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944 - Book 10:
I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79 - Book 11:
I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871 - Book 12:
I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 - Book 13:
I Survived the Hindenburg Disaster, 1937
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Hindenburg Disaster, 1937 - Book 14:
I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980 - Book 15:
I Survived the American Revolution, 1776
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 - Book 16:
I Survived the Children's Blizzard, 1888
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Children's Blizzard, 1888 - Book 17:
I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 - Book 18:
I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944 - Book 19:
I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919 - Book 20:
I Survived the California Wildfires, 2018
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the California Wildfires, 2018 - Book 21:
I Survived the Galveston Hurricane, 1900
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Galveston Hurricane, 1900 - Book 22:
I Survived the Wellington Avalanche, 1910
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Wellington Avalanche, 1910 - Book 23:
I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964 - Book 24:
I Survived the Black Death, 1348
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Black Death, 1348 - Book 25:
I Survived the Dust Bowl, 1935
Alternative text for cover: Cover of I Survived the Dust Bowl, 1935
About the I Survived series
Each I Survived novel drops a young narrator into the middle of a real historical disaster -- the sinking of the Titanic, the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hurricane Katrina, the September 11th attacks, the Black Death -- and follows their fight to get out alive. Lauren Tarshis grounds every book in careful historical research (each includes a nonfiction author's note explaining what's true and pointing readers toward further reading), but the storytelling itself is pure survival-adventure momentum: a kid protagonist, immediate danger, and chapters that end on cliffhangers built for one-more-chapter reading.
The series' real innovation is its range -- natural disasters, wars, shipwrecks, epidemics, and terrorist attacks all get the same clear-eyed, age-appropriate treatment, giving upper-elementary readers a way into history that textbooks rarely manage. It doesn't flinch from real fear and loss, but it's carefully calibrated for its audience: intense without being gratuitous, honest about danger without being traumatic.
With 25+ books and counting, I Survived has become a go-to classroom and library series for hooking reluctant readers (especially kids drawn to disaster and history content) while quietly teaching real events along the way.
How to read this series
Every book is fully standalone, with a different narrator, disaster, and time period -- there's no ongoing plot or numbering that needs to be followed in sequence. Read in whatever order matches a reader's interests: start with a disaster or era they're already curious about, whether that's the Titanic, a hurricane, or World War II.
Publication order (used on this page) roughly reflects the order Lauren Tarshis wrote them in, useful mainly for collectors, but skipping around is completely fine and, if anything, the intended way to use the series -- pick the survival story that grabs a reader first.
Frequently asked questions
How many I Survived books are there?
There are 25 books as of The Dust Bowl, 1935 (2025), with book 26, The Night of the Lions, due September 15, 2026.
What order should I read I Survived in?
Any order works -- each book is a standalone story about a different historical disaster with its own narrator, so read whichever event interests you most.
Is I Survived finished?
No, it's ongoing, with Lauren Tarshis publishing roughly one new book a year.
Are the I Survived books based on true events?
Yes. Each follows a fictional young narrator through a real historical disaster, and each includes a nonfiction author's note separating fact from fiction.
What age group is I Survived for?
Roughly ages 7-10; the books are written to be intense and exciting without being graphic, appropriate for upper-elementary readers.
Reading order last verified .