Have you ever experienced an earthquake? If you haven't, how do you think that you would react to one? In this non-fiction book, author Susan J. Berger explains what earthquakes are, what causes them, what happens when they occur, and what we can do to be prepared for them. The scientifically accurate but highly readable text combined with the colorful illustrations by Eugene E. Ruble will help children understand earthquake terms and learn lots of interesting facts about the subject. Did you know that there is a 9 in 10 chance of a medium sized earthquake happening on the New Madrid fault within the next 50 years? On April 18, 2008, when we were living in Affton, MO, just outside of St. Louis, my wife and I were awakened 4:37 a. m. as a result of a jolt that seemed to shake the bed. There are several things that can cause such a jolt--the blowing of an electrical transformer, an automobile crash nearby, or even a strong gust of wind, although my wife looked out the window and the trees were still. However, as I went back to sleep, the possibility of an earthquake passed through my mind.
Sure enough, when the radio went off at 6:00, the very first news item was that a 5.2 magnitude earthquake centered at Bellmont, IL, had been felt throughout the midwest shortly after 4:30. Then, while sitting at my desk at 10:14 a. m., I felt another jolt that shook my chair. I immediately checked the Internet and found that a 4.7 magnitude aftershock had been recorded at around a quarter after ten. This is my personal experience with earthquakes. There was no damage done, and the jolts, while noticeable, were relatively minor. However, I'm sure that all of us have seen on television or read in the newspapers about other earthquakes that produced massive destruction and even killed many people. Youngsters will find Earthquake to be a fascinating yet fun source of useful information.
How many of us from our childhood actual thought you could dig to China? I know I did. And from the onset children's author, Susan Berger pulls the reader into Earthquake with the line "I hate to tell you this, but you can't dig to China." Berger presents the causes, predictions, measuring, and facts of earthquakes in an easy to understand vibrant presentation. The intertwining of earthquake facts with everyday examples to conduct your own experiments will bring a deeper understanding to the reader. "Some earthquakes feel like the earth is moving side to side like the rocking of a train. (Stand in the middle of a see saw. Try to keep your balance.)"
The cartoon fact charts and illustrations add a delightful way of explaining earthquakes to young readers and adults alike. And along with emergency preparedness tips, Earthquake is a sure bet in being prepared for an earthquake emergency.
When I was a kid, I was fascinated by dinosaurs, which led to an interest in paleontology and then geology. I wish I'd had this book at that age to explain without talking down but in clear, fun to read language one of the more dramatic geological phenomena. The factoids, charts and explanations are all fun and easy to understand, a nice balance of brightly-colored charts from such official sources as FEMA with the sorts of trivia treasured by both children and adults alike. What's more, the earthquake preparedness manual half of the book is good not only for earthquakes but disasters of all kinds: Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires or even garden variety power outages. Yet even that part is written in a light-hearted manner, complete with projects kids can do to make even disaster preparedness fun. (Obviously, we all hope our kids never witness a disaster, but in the meanwhile, bed pockets are fun to make and useful.) Overall a great book for kids, parents and teachers.
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Overview
What was the biggest earthquake? Find out here. Empower your children.
Suggested age for readers: 6-9