Attack On Pearl Harbor [Hardcover]

Shelley Tanaka (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

With compelling photographs and memorabilia, and a gripping text that draws on the recollections of American and Japanese civilians, sailors, and airmen, Attack on Pearl Harbor evocatively recreates this tragic day.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Tanaka's brief account of the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is not of the quality of some of her previous titles. In three rambling chapters and an epilogue, four people are introduced and followed: Peter Nottage, a Caucasian seventh-grade boy; Mitsuo Fuchida, Commander of the Japanese Fleet; George DeLong, a seaman aboard the USS Oklahoma; and Kazuo Sakamaki, midget submariner, who became the first prisoner of war taken by the U.S. The account of the attack is basically accurate, but gives not a hint of Yamamoto's extensive planning. The text implies that most of the U.S. servicemen stationed in Hawaii were either drunks or ill prepared as soldiers and sailors when, in reality, they were unsuspecting and uninformed. No mention is made of the information that Washington was later found to have withheld from military leaders stationed there. Unfortunately, the attractive cover and illustrations do not salvage the text. Full-page and page-and-a-half paintings are replete with action. Colorful maps and diagrams are thorough and detailed, though the arrangement is sometimes confusing. There is no table of contents, but the chapters are titled. The text concludes with a one-page story of teenager Daniel Inouye helping the Red Cross after the attack. The epilogue leaves many questions about the main characters unanswered. Earle Rice Jr.'s The Bombing of Pearl Harbor (Lucent, 2000) is a much better selection.

Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. 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: Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, who led the first air strike on the U.S. fleet in Pearl Harbor; 11-year-old Peter Nottage, who witnessed the bombing of the Kaneohe Naval Air Station; 23-year-old Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki, who participated in an ill-fated midget submarine attack on the harbor; and 19-year-old George DeLong, a seaman who was trapped in the wreckage of the USS Oklahoma. 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. Sidebars provide additional information about the attack or the experiences of other witnesses to the bombings. And dramatic, full-color paintings, black-and-white photos, maps, and diagrams contribute much to the readers' understanding of the events. A glossary and a brief annotated bibliography are appended. Chris Sherman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st U.S. Ed edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786807369
• ISBN-13: 978-0786807369
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Children's Books > History > United States > State & Local
  • #64 in Books > Children's Books > History > Military & Wars
  • #100 in Books > Children's Books > History > United States > 1900s

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Have To Agree With The LJ Review, January 12, 2004

By 

Jesse Penitent "zekaille" (Somewhere, Out There) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Attack On Pearl Harbor (Hardcover)

The review in Library Journal was right on the money. Although
this book covers the attack from a "different perspective", it
makes the Americans look both stupid and boorish. There is, in fact, a definite implication that they were drunk and ill-prepared while implying (perhaps unintentionally) that the Japanese were heroic in their actions. It is true that Ms. Tanaka is writing from the point of view of her characters, but since this is history and not fiction, it may become confusing for students, especially since, when mentioning (almost in passing) that the dropping of the atomic bomb killed 200,000 people, but fails to make a connection WHY this was done.
Fine if you want a feel for the period but not if you want more than a feel.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Being there, June 10, 2001

By 

Keith J. Steiner (Honolulu) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Attack On Pearl Harbor (Hardcover)

I know of Peter Nottage, and I was present in Hawaii when the attack took place. His recollections have brought back to me the drama of the times. Although I was not as old as he was, Mr. Nottage's descriptions match what I recall. Iunderstand he lived in Kanohe, and at that time I lived on the other side not far from Kaimuki, so we did not get the brunt of the attack as he did. A first rate work. I have grandchildren for whom I will purchase this fine book.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pearl Harbor for Children, May 30, 2001

By 

Peter B. Nottage (Honolulu) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Attack On Pearl Harbor (Hardcover)

Shelley Tanaka presents Pearl Harbor in a somewhat different perspective. Pearl Harbor becomes more than Tora! Tora! Toar! and a picture of the sinking Arizona. The eye witness reports form all sides: Japan Military, US Military and civilians and kids. Good book!