Great Escapes: Real Tales of Harrowing Getaways (Mystery and Mayhem)

Grandson liked it

A few political correct stories

Great Escapes is an anthology of five historical events centered on the theme of imprisonment. In each distinct historical search for freedom the characters address both how to define “prison” and the means to seek the type of freedom he or she desires most. The individual nonfiction narratives provide the background context needed to “see” the prison and then guides the reader through the character’s obstacles and successes essential for the great escape.Great Escapes is an easy to read invitation to readers into both the longer length nonfiction and critical thinking skills needed to organize their reading. Throughout the action-packed but poignant narratives, readers compare and connect history to their own lives. As a former classroom teacher and curriculum designer, I would include a book like Great Escapes to teach students how to create questions on the theme based on their own experiences and answer them while reading.

In Great Escapes: Real Tales of Harrowing Getaways, Judy Dodge Cummings brings true historical tales to life with her vivid storytelling skills. The book includes tales about escape from slavery, trying to survive in Antarctica, and more.The details chosen to tell the stories made me feel as if I was watching an intriguing film and taking part in the historical journeys. These stories go well together as they are all about taking risks regardless of the consequences. They are also about freedom, faith, courage, hope, and triumph,The author does an excellent job with the arc of each story. In the beginning of each tale, Judy Dodge Cummings tells us about the characters’ plan to escape despite the danger of doing so, and then she delves into the actual attempt to escape. Then the author shows the times when danger escalates and escaping seems impossible. When the characters finally succeed they sometimes lose something in return. There are snippets of dialogue in each story as well as a good balance of narration of facts and action to inform readers about the history without slowing down the pacing.These stories need to be told as they inspire hope since the characters manage to escape oppressive situations. They are important stories about heroic historical characters. This book is perfect for the intended audience and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in knowing great historical tales.

I breezed through this book. The chapters are gripping, fun to read, and surprising at every turn. Great Escapes tells five true stories of people escaping: from slavery, Antarctic glaciers, a concentration camp, Alcatraz prison, and the East Berlin. Cummings describes the escapes in gut-wrenching, grisly details that glue your eyes to the page. I read chapter 2: The Jaws of Terra Incognita, which describes Douglas Mawson trekking across Antarctica, while sitting with some friends, and they asked me multiple times if I was about to be sick because I was so engrossed in the book and had a horrified expression on my face. Here’s a particularly gruesome example that I couldn’t stop thinking about: “…Mawson felt a strange squelching pain in his feet. He sat down and removed a boot. As he pulled off his socks, the sole of his foot slid off with it. The bottom of his foot was a mass of watery tissue. Mawson’s heart sank. He could not march 100 miles on rotten feet” (45). I found this story so engaging! And gross! And awesome!This book is great for kids who love exciting stories and relatable characters, even if they're not usually history lovers. It's so much fun!

The true stories of adventurers, explorers and others escaping life-threatening situations are often more harrowing than anything fiction could imagine. Great Escapes in the Mystery & Mayhem series focuses on five escapes that actually happened. The stories range from slaves escaping to freedom, to an explorer battling the rigors of Antarctica, to East Germans seeking to be reunited with family and friends in the West, and more.Each story contains a map that shows where key events took place and a time line that places them in history. Author Judy Doge Cummings knows how to write historical fact that reads like fiction, and young readers are likely to be on the edge of their seats to see how each figure from the past uses ingenuity to escape danger. While reading, kids learn significant facts that help make history come alive for them. The narrative should have broad appeal, attracting both avid and reluctant readers.I recommend Great Escapes for readers aged 9 to 13.The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

These riveting nonfiction stories will have readers asking, “Wow, did this really happen?” What a great way to learn about history! Judy Dodge Cummings’s descriptive accounts of harrowing escapes are fascinating, quick reads that will thrill all readers.