 |
Hurricanes
Simon, Seymour. 2003. Hurricanes. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0688162924
Hurricanes is an attractive photo essay book about hurricanes. Although not comprehensive, this book can serve as
an introduction to hurricanes and the destructive forces that accompany them. The intriguing satellite photo of a hurricane
on cover of the book is bound to attract the attention of most school age children. The photos, predominately color, in this
book include pictures of hurricanes, pictures of the destruction caused by hurricanes, pictures of people being rescued from
floods caused by hurricanes, and computer enhanced radar images of hurricanes.
Although this book lacks a list of sources, it appears to be accurate. The book is unpaged and lacks an index, table of contents
and glossary. Hurricanes is more of a photo essay than a book to be used for reference work.
Hurricanes begins with a brief description of hurricanes, when they occur, where they occur and the origin of the
word “hurricane”. The text explains the difference between a tropical depression, tropical storm and hurricane.
“Hurricanes are one of three kinds of storms called tropical cyclones.” Topics discussed next are how hurricanes
are formed, the physical structure of a hurricane, and the destruction caused a storm tide associated with a hurricane. There
is a comparison of tornadoes and hurricanes. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is explained, examples given of a hurricane
in each category and what kind of destruction that storm caused. The book continues by describing the destructive aspects
of a hurricane, the winds and flooding. There is a photo of people being rescued from floodwaters. A brief description of
Andrew, worst hurricane in U.S. is included. The book explains how weather forecasters are able to issue hurricane and storm
warnings. Hurricanes concludes with advice on what to do if a person is in an area where a hurricane is predicted
to hit. Safety tips are included on what to do after a hurricane has passed by.
Words associated with hurricanes are defined in the context of the text. “A storm surge is a huge dome of water, fifty
to one hundreds miles wide, that sweeps across a coastline where a hurricane makes land.”
Hurricanes gives an introduction to hurricanes to grade school children. “The lack of an index or further resources
may hamper assignment-driven children, but like most of Simon’s other work, this is unsurpassed for kindling interest
in a scientific subject and communicating an understanding of its scope and significance” (Peters 2003). While the
book covers an exciting subject and many facts are included, not all reviewers liked the book. “Aimed at the same age
group as Dorothy Souza’s Hurricanes (1996) and Patricia Lauber’s Hurricanes: Earth’s Mightiest
Storms, this falls short of both, often going into too much pedantic detail...” (Kirkus Reviews 2003). Although
at times the writing is more concerned with facts than enthusiasm, I recommend Hurricanes for grades 4-5 as a supplementary
introductory book on hurricanes.
Peters, John. 2003. Hurricanes (Book Review) (Children's review)(Brief Article). Booklist 99(22): 1975.
Hurricanes (Book Review) (Children's review)(Brief Article). 2003. Kirkus Reviews 71(14): 968.
Give me liberty!: The story of the Declaration of Independence
Freedman, Russell. 2000. Give me liberty!: The story of the Declaration of Independence. New York: Holiday House.
ISBN: 0823414485.
Noted historian and children’s writer Russell Freedman begins this historic account of the events leading up to the
signing of the Declaration of Independence with the actions of a 14-year-old apprentice climbing out of his window to join
the “crowd of men and boys” preparing to board three British merchant ships in the Boston harbor and dump “342
chests of fine blended tea, shipped from England” (p. 1) into the Boston Harbor. Give me liberty! then turns
to the events leading up to the Boston Tea Party beginning with the settlement of America. Included in this narrative are
interesting details about life in the colonies at this time, a “typical independent farmer owned 10 head of cattle,
16 sheep, 6 pigs, 2 horses and a team of oxen” (p.11), and the reasons behind the political climate in America at this
time “Americans were used to thinking for themselves.” (p.11).
Give me liberty!continues in chronological order the story of the events leading up to the writing of Declaration of
Independence with details on important events and personalities of the time. Some of the events included are the Stamp Act,
the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s ride, and battles of Lexington and Concord and battle of Breed’s Hill and Bunker
Hill. Important figures portrayed include Patrick Henry, John and Samuel Adams, George Washington, Thomas Paine, and Thomas
Jefferson.
The role that women played in this part of American history is included, “Women did not take to the streets, but they
made their views known by banding together in societies called the Daughters of Liberty” (p. 16). Information on the
role of African-Americans was included, “Eventually, about five thousand African-American volunteers from every state
except Georgia and South Carolina served with the Continental Army” (p. 56).
The last two chapters of the book contain the complete text of the Declaration of Independence and the history of the actual
document the Declaration is written on and where that document is today.
This book relies heavily on quotations, historical prints and illustrations, and contains a selected biography to verify facts.
The writing is very readable with details (“high summer grass under a blistering sun ”(p. 50)) given to make
the text more interesting. Most pages contain historical illustrations with interesting captions. To further the usefulness
of this book, there is a table of contents, chronology of events, selected bibliography, illustration credits and an easy-to-use
index, which indexes the text as well as the illustrations. An attractive dust jacket completes the package.
Like all of his books, Russell Freedman in this story makes “readers feel that they are witness to significant happenings”(Horn
Book 2001). Freedman provides an “articulate history of the factors behind the American Revolutionary War.” (Odean
2001). “…Freedman takes a crucial moment in American history and imbues it with living grace and powerful tension”
(DeCandido 2000).
This book is recommended for grades 5 and up and would be a good supplement for United States history lessons.
DeCandido, GraceAnne A. 2000. Give me liberty!: The story of the Declaration of Independence. (Review) (Children's review)(Brief
Article). Booklist 97(3): 336.
Give me liberty!: The story of the Declaration of Independence. (Review) (Children's review)(Brief Article). 2001. Horn
Book Magazine 77(1): 109.
Odean, Kathleen. 2001. Give me liberty!: The story of the Declaration of Independence. (Review) (Children's review)(Brief
Article). Book Jan: 83.
Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: The extraordinary true story of Shackleton and the Endurance
Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: The extraordinary true story of Shackleton and the
Endurance. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. ISBN: 037581498.
Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: The extraordinary true story of Shackleton and the Endurance. tells the story
of the men who sailed on an expedition to Antarctica on the ship Endurance in 1914-1916. The expedition was organized and
led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. The ship was trapped in the ice near Antarctica and was eventually crushed by the ice, stranding
the men on the ice floe. The harrowing experiences of the crew on this voyage and their subsequent escape and rescue make
for riveting reading. Many sources were consulted, including personal diaries and the logbook from the voyage, assuring the
reader of the accuracy of the text. For those who wish to find more information, a bibliography is included in the back of
the book. There is a table of contents and an easy-to-use index, which indexes the text as well as the illustrations. A
list of the members of the crew, maps of the areas involved in the expedition, and the original plans of the ship Endurance
are in the front pages of the book. Further interest in the story is achieved by the use of original photographs taken during
the ordeal. Browsing the photographs and reading the captions is a good way to get a taste of the story told in these pages.
A combination of diary entries, descriptions of settings and the daily activities of the men give a taste of what these men
suffered. Their courage and faith in their captain is evident.
The book begins “Just imagine yourself in the most hostile place on earth. … Just imagine yourself stranded in
such a place. …In 1915, a British crew of twenty-eight men was stranded there, with no ship and no way to contact the
outside world. They all survived.” (p.1). The story begins in London with Shackleton recruiting members for his expedition
to cross the continent of Antarctica. The ship did not even reach the shores of Antarctica. Shackleton and his crew were
stranded for many months in the ice pack surrounding Antarctica. Eventually the ice crushed the ship leaving the crew stranded
with no means of communication to the outside world. The entire crew was not rescued until August 30, 1916 over 19 months
later.
Many details are included from the diaries of the men and interesting information about the daily lives of the men during
each portion of their ordeal is included. Information is included about the stores the ship carried “powdered milk
and cocoa, sugar, tea, potatoes, tobacco…” (p. 8), the kind of wildlife the crew saw, and the kind of entertainment
they had “Card playing, guessing games, impersonations, listening to gramophone records…” (p. 33). The
extreme dedication of the leader, “Boss”, as the crew called him, was evident throughout the story. “He
(Shackleton) could not rest now, when only twenty-nine miles separated him from rescue for his men.” (p. 107). The reader
is lead through the ordeal of these men day-by-day, month-by-month with information on what they did to survive at each stage
of their ordeal. From the shooting of the dogs to the use of blubber in stoves for heat to the cracking of the ice under
their tents, this book will keep most older readers entranced from the first paragraph to the last.
“Even while describing the months of inactivity, as the explorers drift along on ice floes, waiting to reach open water,
Armstrong … keeps her narrative moving at a brisk pace.” (Publishers Weekly 1999). According to Horn
Book Magazine, this book is a “must-purchase”. This book is recommended for 5th grade and up.
Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: The extraordinary true story of Shackleton and the Endurance. 1999. Publishers
Weekly 246(4): 97.
Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: The extraordinary true story of Shackleton and the Endurance. 1999. Horn Book Magazine
75(4): 478.
Blizzard!: The storm that changed America
Murphy, Jim. 2000. Blizzard!: The storm that changed America. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0590673092.
Using newspapers, personal manuscripts from the New York Historical Society, letters of reminiscence from the survivors of
the blizzard and other sources, Jim Murphy relates in interesting detail stories surrounding the event of the Great Blizzard
of 1888. The Society of Blizzard Men and Blizzard Ladies of 1888 collected over 1200 personal accounts. With these sources
and others, Jim Murphy crafts an interesting and accurate account of the Great Blizzard of 1888 and how this blizzard lead
to reform in many areas of government. No longer would a city be caught unaware or be so completely immobilized by a storm.
Blizzard! begins on Saturday, March 10, 1888, the day before the blizzard struck. The New York City Weather Station
employees were going home for the weekend. Two storm systems were traveling toward New York but neither was predicted to
present any weather problems. The forecast was for “fresh to brisk winds, with rain, will prevail, followed on Monday
by colder brisk westerly winds and fair weather” (p.4). John J. Meisinger, a hardware buyer, was ridiculed for purchasing
3000 wooden snow shovels. No one would be at the weather station for 17 hours to warn the city when the two approaching storms
intensified and merged into one blizzard. Blizzard! follows individual stories through the duration of the blizzard.
Many individuals tried to continue their normal activities on Monday, but became stranded in the storm.
The style of writing is narrative, using the words and recollections of the survivors and victims. The stories are told as
the storm progresses. There is the story of the milkman who tried to deliver milk but turned around and went home after finishing
just half of his route, “his horse had turned toward the stable three times. ‘He had more sense than I,’
William concluded.”(pp.28-9). There is the story of Chauncey Depew, president of the New York Central Railroad, and
his unsuccessful efforts to keep the trains running; the story of May, a secretary, and her trek through blizzard conditions
using newspapers around her ankles and chest to keep warm; the story of James Marshall and his two friends who worked at a
factory and how they tried to row home. Train riders were stranded with no food; burning anything they could, even the mail,
to stay warm. Farmers trudged through the snow to milk their cows. A cross section of life in New England and how the blizzard
affected each section of society is given.
The aftermath of the storm and the cleanup efforts are chronicled. Because “New York City had been completely paralyzed
– and embarrassed – by the storm” (pp.114-15), many changes were made.
Blizzard! is attractively laid out. ‘Sepia-colored illustrations (archival photographs and original art from
the period) reinforce the historical setting.” (Horn Book 2001). “The haunting jacket illustration grabs attention,
and the dramatic power of the splendid narrative, coupled with carefully selected anecdotes, newspaper accounts, and vintage
and contemporary photos, will keep the pages turning.” (Franklin 2001).
Blizzard! contains a table of contents, notes on sources and related reading material, and an index, which indexes
the text as well as the illustrations. This book is recommended for 5th grade and up. Blizzard! could be used to
supplement a weather unit or a unit on late 19th Century New England history. Dress warmly when reading this book; the detailed
descriptions will leave you shivering in your shoes.
Franklin, Jean. 2001. Blizzard!: The storm that changed America.. (Review) (Children's review)(Brief Article). Booklist
97(12): 1135.
Blizzard!: The storm that changed America. (Review) (Children's review)(Brief Article). 2001. Horn Book Magazine
77(1): 113.
|
|
