Surviving Natural Disasters

Children's Literature - Amy McMillan

The earth is in continual upheaval with natural disasters making the headlines on a daily basis. But among these catastrophes stories of courage and heroism emerge. This sixth installment in the "Real Life Heroes" series highlights some of these brave survivors from around the world. A brief introduction explains some of the causes and types of disasters followed by two sections of personal experiences from people who lived through them. Section one relays stories of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis while section two focuses on extreme weather with several stories included in each section. Each story begins with a brief summary of the event in bold type, followed by the account of an older child or teen who was actually there. Sidebars and photograph captions also provide supplemental information. The reader travels through time and around the globe beginning in South America in 1985 where 12-year-old Maia's village is destroyed by a mudslide caused by a volcano. When the Mississippi flooded in the summer of 1993, 18-year-old Jerry and his family were able to save their farm, but others weren't so lucky. University students Steve and Joel were caught in an avalanche while hiking and 16-year-old Hannah's neighborhood was destroyed by Australia's deadliest brushfires in 2009. Included in the back are a glossary, index, and resources for further information. Color photographs further illustrate the unthinkable devastation and help to bring the stories to life. However, the writing style is journalistic. The events are reported and emotions are touched on but aren't as powerful and compelling as a first-person account would be. Still there is something to be gained in the story of a survivor who beats the odds and this volume could enhance a world studies or science unit or be a springboard for exploring biographies climate changes. Reviewer: Amy McMillan