Survival is the central theme to the fall Iola Reads project, which has launched this month.
Three books from the “I Survived” series by Lauren Tarshis — “I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906,” “I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011” and “I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916” — are being featured.
Because the books are geared for younger children, there will be no general community distribution of books in the Iola Reads tubs placed around town.
Still, the books are available at the Iola Public Library and school libraries.
“I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake” was selected because of Frederick Funston’s role in the event, although Funston is not in the book. Some elementary classes will make a class trip to the Funston House to learn more about him.
“I Survived the Joplin Tornado” was selected because of Iola’s proximity to Joplin.
“I Survived the Shark Attacks” was chosen last spring by third-, fourth- and fifth-graders who read the series.
Tarshis has written 15 novels about children who survived various real-life catastrophes. Students up through middle school who read all 15 books in the series will be rewarded with a “survivor bracelet.”
THERE will be one program for the public at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at the library. Dr. Renee White headed the Joplin Area Long-Term Recovery Committee after the 2011 tornado, in which more than 13,000 families were rehoused. More than 1 million volunteer hours were provided by Good Samaritans, and disaster care provided to 1,600 families.
White also will speak earlier in the day to students at Lincoln Elementary School and Iola Middle School.
IOLA Reads is a cooperative effort involving the Iola Public Library, USD 257, the Bowlus Fine Arts Center and interested citizens. The fall Iola Reads project is largely funded by a grant from the Helen Gates Whitehead Testamentary Trust through the Bowlus.
