The Hindenburg Disaster

Children's Literature - Peg Glisson

Another in Bearport's "Code Red" series, this book briefly describes the 1937 disaster of the world's largest airship as it attempted to land in New Jersey after a three-day flight from Germany. As in other books in the series, effective use of captioned photos, fact boxes and quotes bring the simple text to life. Feigenbaum considers the size and luxurious accommodations, use of hydrogen instead of helium, the flash fire's rapid path through the ship, the crash, passengers' and crew members' attempts to escape, and rescue efforts. In examining possible causes, he does not ignore the fact that the politics of Germany and the United States at the time may have had an impact. The narrative style of both the text and the captions is effective, and the book's open design will attract readers. Profiles of four individuals involved in the incident and clean-up help put a face on the event. The map, an index, a glossary and a suggested reading list will aid young researchers; however, the web sites that are listed are all commercial video/audio sites and are not designed to be appropriate for youngsters. This member of the series seems a bit weaker than others seen by this reviewer, with not as much content or discussion of the disaster's ramifications. Like others in the series, the high-interest topic of the book make it appealing to reluctant readers. Reviewer: Peg Glisson