Volcano Rising - Hardcover

Rusch, Elizabeth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1580894089 ISBN 13: 9781580894081

Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2013

Synopsis

Volcanoes are a scary, catastrophic phenomenon that creates mass destruction as far as its deadly lava can reach, right? Not quite . . .

Elizabeth Rusch explores volcanoes in their entirety, explaining how they’re not all as bad as they’re made out to be. Using examples of real volcanoes from around the world, Rusch explains how some volcanoes create new land, mountains, and islands where none existed before, and how the ash helps farmers fertilize their fields. Simple, straight-forward prose provides readers with the basics, while a secondary layer of text delves deeper into the science of volcanoes. Susan Swan’s bright and explosive mixed-media illustrations perfectly complement the subject matter—they depict volcanoes in all their destructive and creative glory.

Complete with a glossary and list of further resources, VOLCANO RISING is a unique look at a fierce, yet valuable, scientific process.

About this title

About the Author

Elizabeth Rusch is a writer and journalist with a strong interest in volcanoes. Her children's books include THE MIGHTY MARS ROVERS: THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF SPIRIT AND OPPORTUNITY and FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF MARIA ANNA MOZART. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

Gr 3-4–Rusch offers a twin-sided look at the power of volcanoes–their capability for destruction, and, surprisingly, of creation. Her informative text continues the split in personality with, on one side, an easy sentence or two dramatically describing eruptions with a heavily accented “POW!” or “SPURT.” On the other is a longer, more complex paragraph giving further data for older readers or for teachers and homeschooling parents. Included are such topics as the Yellowstone supervolcano, the emergence of undersea volcanoes, and the creation of Paricutín in a Mexican cornfield. All of this information is placed on a backdrop of Swan's dramatic artwork, a combination of hand-painted papers, digital paintings, and Photoshop scans that include a puffin taking off from the sea near Surtsey and Kilauea's pahoehoe lava flowing violently into the cold Pacific waters. Pair this book with Lisa Westberg Peters's Volcano Wakes Up! (Holt, 2010) for a lava-full celebration of vulcanology.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NYα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In Rusch’s third book on volcanoes, she is joined by Swan, and the two have created an eye-popping riot of action, sound, color, and information to convey the energy and impact of volcanoes. Portions of the text are written for younger readers, while the more detailed, thorough explanatory passages (in a slightly smaller font) are approachable for older readers or through adult assistance. Rusch describes both “creative” and “destructive” volcanoes, but spends more time explaining the creative ones and their environments. Swan’s provocative found-objects-meet-digital-painting art is a wild, invigorating explosion (so to speak) of lines and colors. But it’s not overwhelming; the labels of the lava, magma, and varied strata of volcanoes expand the understanding. A smart and visceral introduction to the topic—and the pronunciation help within the text is nice, too. Grades 1-3. --J. B. Petty

Edition details

• Publisher: Charlesbridge
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1580894089
• ISBN 13: 9781580894081
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Susan Swan
• Number of pages: 32