I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011

The novels in the I Survived series, which narrate natural disasters, raise topics that can be scary for young readers, but that also capture their interest and curiosity. One example is the theme of humans’ limitations when it comes to controlling nature. Tarshis addresses this interest and curiosity in two significant ways. First, she portrays Dex as wanting to experience a tornado in real-life as well as wishing to learn more about tornados by storm chasing with Dr. Gage. Thus, he reflects the concerns of the kinds of young readers who would be drawn to the novel. Second, copious details about tornadoes are peppered across the narrative, and characters discuss what makes tornadoes so dangerous and destructive—namely, knowledge of why and how tornados develop remains limited.

The first chapter begins with Dex in the tornado’s grip and ends with him acknowledging that he had wanted “to see a tornado for real,” but its violent power is far beyond what Dex imagined (1). When the tornado catches up with Dex and Dr. Gage, they become subject to its whims. Dr. Gage’s equipment and training ultimately cannot prevent them from falling under the tornado’s control. In Chapter 3, before he lived through one, Dex understood that tornadoes were among “the most destructive forces in nature” (15). Yet he remained interested in experiencing one. Abstract knowledge can only go so far in preparing him for the reality of the lived experience (15).

Across the novel, Tarshis weaves tornado facts into the narrative, which she reinforces in the final four “nonfiction” chapters addressed to readers. In the rising action chapters, Chapters 5 through 7, Dr. Gage shares some of his knowledge about and research into tornadoes, including what makes them so dangerous. Tornadoes cannot be predicted, and they can only be seen with the naked eye. Scientists have determined what kind of storms can lead tornadoes to form, but once in force, their trajectories cannot be predicted either. Thus, Dr. Gage can take all the appropriate precautions and still be caught in one, as he once was as a child and as he and Dex are in the main narrative. In addition to tornado facts, Tarshis repeatedly describes the devastating effects of the tornado on Joplin itself. The physical effects—leveled buildings and piles of debris—are tied to the personal significance of these effects: They are the remains of people’s beloved homes and treasured toys, photos, and other personal effects. Most importantly, lives are lost.

Amid the devastating consequences of the dearth of knowledge lies an opportunity for scientists to continue to study tornadoes and deepen their understanding of them, though it is dangerous work. As Tarshis points out in Chapter 18, Tim Samaras, the storm chaser on whom Dr. Gage is based, lost his life while pursuing a tornado in Oklahoma. The way Tarshis tackles the subject matter, acknowledging both curiosity and danger, respects young readers’ interest in natural disasters while also presenting the content in a sobering way that invites young readers to take these events seriously and not underestimate their potential deadliness. Though humans cannot control nature, they are not helpless; they can continue to seek and build knowledge that can potentially save lives in the future.