Freeburg, Jessica . Collapse and Chaos.

Freeburg, Jessica .  Collapse and Chaos. Capstone Publishers      2017  112p  $31.99      ISBN 978-1-5157-3606-6  ms  Nonfiction  E-BN       

Reading through the stories of nearly a dozen survivors of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, readers will not be able to stop turning the pages to learn how people got out of piles of rubble, how long they searched for friends, and how they helped others even when they have little to give. Some people had it easier than others. Some had no one to help for hours or days and no one to keep them company. Others were digging, not stopping to think about themselves while they helped those in need. Readers will connect with the survivors and hope along with them that their dying notes to their families will not have to be delivered.

The series is Tangled History.

           

Summary: What was it like to be in the midst of an horrific earthquake? We read the story of survivors in their own words in this emotional look at what happens during a disaster.     

Haiti Earthquake of 2010                                          --Erin Daley

Freeburg, Jessica .  Collapse and Chaos. Capstone Publishers  2017  112p      $31.99      ISBN 978-1-5157-3606-6  elem/ms  Nonfiction  E-BN       

By using the narrative voices of a variety of people living on the island of Haiti at the time of the 2010 Earthquake, the author ties together their reality as representative of all of Haiti's inhabitants. Of course these are only voices of survivors, but the loss and devastation are quite clear.  An example is the narrative of Allison Insley-Madsen, an American ex-pat who lived in Haiti with her family and helped many of the survivors by providing food and a measure of comfort. Rosemary Pierre, a young-adult student, survived the quake but was unable to locate her cousin and became both emotionally and physically exhausted. Lexmark Aristide, who was injured during the earthquake, was evacuated and treated with his father and brother, and all were grateful to have survived. There are many more stories, each as important as the next, and they are well written. Photographs throughout the book serve to enhance the stories of the survivors in a general sense. A brief epilogue ties the narratives together at the end of the book, along with a timeline, a glossary, critical-thinking points using the Common Core, a list of further resources both print and web, and an index.     

The series Tangled History is complete in twelve titles. Each addresses an event from a specific place and time through the use of narratives by people who were there.    

Summary: One beautiful, routine day, Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake. Through the voices of those who were there, the tragedy is clearly described.  

Haiti Earthquake of 2010                                          --Lynn Fisher