Wildfire!: The 1871 Peshtigo Firestorm

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-These slim series entries combine a story approach with nonfiction reporting as they focus on specific natural disasters, their causes, and their long-term impact. The books have lots of white space, fact boxes, and no more than 100 words per spread. Illustrations include average-quality drawings, archival photographs, and diagrams. The first book recounts a girl's experiences in New York City in 1888, as well as health and safety consequences of the storm, some of which led to the development of the subway system, underground wiring, sanitation laws, and improved national weather forecasting. Wildfire! brings the 1871 Peshtigo, WI, disaster alive through the eyes of lighthouse keepers on a nearby island. It also presents some history and examines cause and effect. Brunelle describes the experiences of three San Francisco residents during the 1906 earthquake. Causes of earthquakes, scientific and technological advances in research, and improved safety procedures are briefly examined. All three books have dramatic covers. The human-interest approach should be effective for grabbing readers' attention, but the lack of documentation is a problem as children won't know what's true and what isn't. Less dramatic, more traditional texts can be found in the "Awesome Forces of Nature" series (Heinemann) and the "Natural Disasters" series (Rosen), both written for the same audience.-Peg Glisson, Mendon Center Elementary School, Pittsford, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.