Surviving the San Francisco Earthquake

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5–These brief books feature graphic-novel-style fiction about a family who struggles to survive a natural disaster or participates in a significant historical moment, combined with introductory and closing nonfiction portions describing the event. The tales are told through the eyes of the family's children, and in each one, the communities exhibit a “can do” attitude and work together to build a better future. The detailed cartoons are large, with only one or two per page. The “Setting the Stage” introduction and four-page “Discover More” conclusion put the event into historical context, but both are at a higher reading level than the fictional story, which limits their effectiveness. The graphic portions are overly simplistic and generally fail to capture the scope of the natural disasters or the lasting impact of events, and will do little to help readers understand them.