Review by Ian Keogh

As ever in I Survived, Lauren Tarshis is supplying history in fictionalised form for young readers, but this is rather the departure, as every other story adapted for a graphic novel to date has concerned a form of tragedy. The 1944 D-Day invasion may not sit well with Nazis, but most others would consider it to be celebrated that the tide of World War II had turned enough that an invasion of occupied Europe was considered necessary and feasible.

The identification point for young readers is always a child at the centre of events, in this case Paul, a French boy who’s lived through five years of Nazis occupying his homeland. During that time he’s seen more than any child should as people he knows are killed or disappear, but he’s also on site in time to rescue a US paratrooper who’s arrived prior to the invasion.

For English language readers it’s rare that any recounting of the D-Day landings is appreciated from the French viewpoint. The more usual narrative in English is of British heroics and casualties during the landing, or the alternative view that Americans flew in with aftershave and bubblegum to bail everyone out. This mission concerns the necessity of French villagers and a single paratrooper having to destroy a fearsome Nazi weapon before the invasion begins.

Georgia Ball has handled every adaptation to date, turning in a smooth and easy to read story, while, as is usual, the art is kept simple for young readers rather than trying to impress with style. Even given the restrictions, though, Brian Churilla’s art is definitely no frills.

Tarshis conceives a captivating war story, along the way showing how the French Resistance operated, and as Paul is the “I” of the title, he’s inevitably instrumental in ensuring the troops can land from the sea. His moment of imminent danger is seen on the cover, as a crashing plane looks to be heading straight for him. Remember, kids, the title is I Survived. There’s no belittling the lives lost in reality, and Tarshis works in one hell of a tearjerker ending.

All the I Survived graphic novels are well adapted, but could be so much better if the art improved. Next up is I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79.