Investigating the Ozone Hole

Children's Literature - Beverly Kobrin

Send youngsters concerned about this environmental problem to Rebecca Johnson's Investigating the Ozone Hole.

Karen Hutt

Based on observations, interviews with scientists, and firsthand research, Johnson's account details the development of the ozone hole, located above Antarctica, and discusses the continued threat of ozone depletion from the earth's atmosphere. The author also explains why current international efforts to stop ozone destruction are so difficult to implement and will take years to have an effect. Colorful charts and diagrams clarify the chemical processes causing destruction of the ozone layer, and photos show scientists conducting experiments on the earth's coldest and most isolated continent. Although the writing is somewhat uneven and the editing occasionally sloppy ("When the laser beams collide with the icy particles and is reflected back toward earth"), Johnson's explanations of this complex and relevant topic are well supported and understandable. A glossary is appended.