Volcano Blast

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 12, 2016

Review

This is #4 in the series Disaster Strikes. In this book, three kids have to deal with trying to survive a volcano eruption on an island of the Alaskan coast. Twins Noah & Emily, who live in Hawaii with their father, are forced to move temporarily, to Alaska. Their father is a scientist, a volcano expert. And he must go to Alaska to study volcanoes. Emily is thrilled at the prospect. But her brother Noah is not happy about the move. The family of three head for a remote island off the coast of Alaska to do some research and exploring. They are ferried to the island by Alex, who's father owns the boat. Once on the island the twins' dad gets to his work. The three kids go off exploring. That is when the volcano erupts. The kids have to rely on each other to escape the hot lave and ash. They fight to survive, get back to the boat, and to reunite with their fathers. There is some basic information at the back of the book about volcanoes. It could peak the interest of some kids to do further reading on the subject. This is an easy to read chapter book for 3rd & 4th graders, or those readers who are struggling. The chapters are short. The text is easy to read and the font is larger. There are some pencil illustrations scattered throughout the book. They don't do anything to enhance the story. But they do provide a break in the reading and may be of some interest to kids. Give this title and others in the series to fans of the I Survived series and kids not quite ready for Gordon Korman's Kidnapped, Dive, or Island series. This is a story of friendship, adventure and survival. A good purchase for most libraries. And a great purchase for libraries needing more boy-friendly books.

Overall Book Score: good