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Would you know what to do if you were caught up in a dust storm? I’m guessing you are like me and thinking.. cover your mouth and shut your eyes and start praying! Well in, Survivor Diaries Dust Storm, through the telling of a good story, you learn just how to survive a dust storm.

From the Cover
Sixth-graders – and former best friends – Jen and Martin are geared up to attend on of the most exciting geocaching field trip ever in the New Mexico desert. When their van gets a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, they decide to bike off on their own to get a head start. Without warning, a blinding wall of dust and debris barrels toward them. Separated from their field trip group and in the desert alone, they will have to use all their knowledge and grit to survive.

What you Get
An easy read chapter book with a focus on survival. This book is part of a series and comes complete with survival tips from the New Mexico Search and Rescue Council.
Throughout the book you will find grayscale images that serve well to advance the story. AND it really is a story, not just a quick read with some dubious characters to help teach survival skills. Situations popped up that were (in my eyes) funny. It made the story real and the characters people that I would like to meet.

My Thoughts
I think this is a great series to help youngsters prepare for survival situations. Even if, they don’t meet the particular one in each book, hopefully the reader will pick up the basic facts. Keep your head, think things through, use your abilities to help yourself and any companions you have with you, and survive.
I think it’s neat that this book comes with a link to survivor diaries on-line so you can play a survival game.
This particular book has a believable story line. I could see a couple of kids getting it into their minds to get a head start, without thinking through the consequences. The added benefit is that it gives the friends a chance to learn what went wrong in their friendship.
An easy read that upper elementary youth should have no problem getting through. A fast paced, interesting story that is enjoyable to read.

Survivor Diaries Dust Storm!
Terry Lynn Johnson
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
120 pages, softcover
Received: trade paperback
Survival, dust storm, upper elementary, middle school
Series: Survivor Diaries
Reviewed for Raincoast Books
Others in the series: Lost! and Overboard!

Thanks for a great recommendation. I think my daughter will enjoy these – and learn some good skills on the way : )
i hope so, it’s a good series.
Another one that looks interesting. I just have to say, though, that being from New Mexico, I don’t think the setting is right. Dust storms don’t really say NM to me. That is more a west Texas sort of thing. Still, the book looks like an interesting read.
I didn’t know that, I don’t know enough about that area to speak to that. Good point.