Benoit, Peter. The Titanic.

Benoit, Peter.  The Titanic.  Scholastic/Childrens Press    2013 64p  $30.00  ISBN 978-0-531-23607-9      ms   series: Cornerstones of Freedom  E-BNS     

This title is part of a series that describes some of the most dramatic and defining moments in history.  It offers a look at the sinking of the great ship Titanic.  Beginning with a discussion of the race between the rival shipping companies Cunard and White Star to be the biggest at the turn of the twentieth century, the author goes into great detail about the actual construction of the Titanic, the work of the Irish shipbuilding company that designed and built her, the ship’s impact with the iceberg, and the appalling loss of life due to the lack of proper safety measures.  There is also a compelling description of the problems with the radio communications between vessels and the lack of communication between radio officers and the ship’s captain.

The book is written in a clear, concise manner and is enhanced by primary source information and black-and-white photographs and period illustrations.  There are interesting and informative tidbits found in sidebars in each chapter that present additional information on relevant topics.  The book is library-bound and ends with a list of influential individuals, a time line, a living history link to primary sources, a glossary, a bibliography of books and web sites, and an index.  This will be a excellent source for reports requiring more than just basic information.

This title is part of an ever-growing series that discusses dramatic and defining moments in history.  Primary source material, crisp photographs of people and events, and timelines provide the student researcher with an overview of the topic. Gr 4-8.   

Titanic                                                           --Susan Ogintz

Gregory, Josh. The Superstorm Hurricane Sandy.

Gregory, Josh.  The Superstorm Hurricane Sandy.  Scholastic/Childrens Press  2013   48p   $29.00  ISBN 978-0-531-23750-2  elem (Grades 4-7)  series: A True Book  VG-BNS

This True Book appears to be written at a higher level than the books that were published in this series in the past.  Superstorm Hurricane Sandy does a good job of covering the storm.  It explains the origins and development of the storm, and maps show its path.  Photographs show the destruction left behind in its aftermath – the flooding and other destruction.  The text also does a good job of personalizing the damage and the storm’s effects on people’s lives.  This title will give readers who were far away from the storm’s impact a good idea of what it was like.

I see only two flaws in this book, and they are as follows: there is no mention of the huge number of volunteers beyond FEMA and the Red Cross who helped and are still helping people.  Also, the page on climate change pictures a polar bear.  The photograph is superfluous and has very little to do with the subject of the book.

The supplemental materials include a page of statistics, a list of four books on hurricanes, identification of the publisher’s “Factsfornow” web page, an acceptable glossary and a more-than-adequate index.

The book is targeted for grades 3-6, but the reading level is more appropriate for grades 4-7.  This is part of the newest addition to the True Book series: the Disasters series of 11 titles.  Each book examines in detail the causes leading up to a specific disaster, as well as the legacy it left behind, which we live today.    

Hurricane Sandy                                                   --Joan Theal

Scott, Elaine. Buried Alive.

Scott, Elaine.    Buried Alive.     Houghton Mifflin/Clarion      80p   $17.99  978-0-547-70778-5     elem        E-BN       

The disastrous Chilean mine collapse of 2010 is presented for young readers in grades 3-6, with all the anxious moments of both trapped miners and relatives presented to readers in an appropriate way.  “Teamwork” and “hope” were the two words associated with the rescue.  Throughout the book, which is filled with excellent color photos of trapped miners, distraught relatives, and workers trying to devise a rescue plan, the author conveys a sense of urgency to the reader.  Teamwork is the principal that allowed the trapped miners to survive in darkness for seventeen days without knowing if they would be rescued.  Teamwork is what people above ground exhibited as they sought the means for a successful rescue. Relatives and friends of the miners also banded together to maintain a vigil through the over-two-month rescue process.  Hope was the emotion that filled miners, relatives, and rescuers, as they never gave up on their belief that the miners could be rescued.  The author does an outstanding job of presenting the lifestyle of the trapped miners, the steadfastness of relatives in the camp outside the mine, and the international efforts to provide equipment and ideas for rescuing the miners.  This book is to be commended for the author’s statement on how she researched her book and the afterword that relays the current status of the miners, which in many cases is far from the glory of the first month after rescue.  An extraordinary book for students who want to learn about the value of helping others through difficult times.  In short, this is an outstanding account of the Chilean mine disaster with excellent documentation and photographs for young readers that shows how hope and teamwork can lead to a positive outcome.                                  -- Lois McNicol

Lawson, Julie. Ghosts of the Titanic.

Lawson, Julie.  Ghosts of the Titanic.       Holiday House, 2011. 169p.   $16.95.  ISBN 978-0-8234-2423-8     elm/ms            Realistic Fiction          E-BN           

This story illustrates that life is not always what you think it is. Twelve-year-old Kevin Messenger first learns about the Titanic disaster when his class studies and visits the Titanic Artifact Exhibition that is touring North America. He learns about the people on the ship and the hardships imposed on the passengers. His interest is further enhanced when his father learns that he has inherited a house in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Angus Seaton, a crew member of the Mackey-Bennett (the ship that rescued people from the Titanic).  While they are at the house in Nova Scotia, Kevin starts researching the disaster. He also starts hearing from a ghost named, Annie, who is trying to find out what happened to her son, Michael.  It seems that Kevin is the only one hearing the voices, and this leads to some disciplinary action by his parents for bad behavior.  The way the author ties the story together right up to the ending will keep readers entranced and refusing to put down the novel.
SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read further if you don’t want the ending.
The fact that Angus Seaton rescued a small boy named Michael but couldn’t save his mother is heart wrenching. When he was loading Michael’s drowned mother onto the boat, Angus distractedly placed a small pocketbook into his pocket.  Events turned hectic and he forgot about it.  That error meant that Michael was never identified.  However, Margaret Dyson took care of Michael and adopted him after her marriage to George Messenger, Kevin’s grandfather.  Kevin learns the facts and answers Annie’s questions, and all ends well.        Subject: Titanic Disaster

Linda McNeil

Bright, J. E Deepwater Disaster

Bright, J. E   Deepwater Disaster 

Stone Arch see Capstone      2011   48p     19.04  978-1-43423-317-2

 elem    Science fiction            DC super heroes. Aquaman     VG       

╥When a violent storm in the Gulf of Mexico damages a drilling rig

off the Louisiana coast, the superhero Aquaman must save the day--but will the

evil Black Manta prevent the rescue?╙      Reluctant readers who enjoy Aquaman and

super heroes in general will thoroughly enjoy this new title by J.E. Bright,

illustrated by Dan Schoening, Mike DeCarlo, and Lee Loughridge.  In this title,

students meet our story╒s protagonist, Aquaman, the King of the Sea.  In this

installment, when a violent storms strikes the Gulf of Mexico and damages an oil

drill off the Louisiana coast.  Aquaman attempted to plug the hole in the drill

to stop the oil from pouring out into the Gulf, but was startled when he saw

Black Manta and then suspected that he had somehow triggered the oil rig

explosion that caused the fire.  Aquaman was confused as to why Black Manta

would create damage and pollute his own environment.  Determined to find out the

truth, Aquaman and Black Manta began to battle, but then both were determined to

stop the leak from polluting the water any further.  Together, they began to

move away pieces of rubble and Aquaman asked their sea animal friends, dolphins,

sharks, whales, and turtles to help, along with the help of scientists to get

their sea back.  The author uses onomatopoeia to describe the sounds of actions

throughout.  

Includes several pages of color graphics intermixed in the story, a profile of

Black Manta, an assassin,  biographical information on the author and three

illustrators, a glossary of terms, discussion questions, and writing prompts.  

Students are also given an opportunity to use FactHound and the book╒s

International Standard Book Number to obtain additional information and other

cool things.     Each title in this series features Batman, the Dark Knight and

his partner, Robin the Boy Wonder, putting fear into the hearts of the bad guys! 

Each book contains discussion questions and writing prompts.             Forba-

Mayer, Charleen

Burns, Loree Griffin The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe

Burns, Loree Griffin The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2010 66 18.00
978-0-547-15231-8 elm/ms E-BNS
Scientists In the Field (HM)#8
Scientists across the globe are scrambling to solve a mystery that may compromise the world food supply -- why are honey bee colonies vanishing and dying?
What would a world without honey bees be like?

This is a valid – and disturbing -- question in view of the millions of bees that have died or vanished since colony collapse disorder (CCD) was first identified in 2006. CCD is a mystery that has scientists scrambling to find the cause – and a solution -- before the world’s food supply is irreparably compromised.

The author, a beekeeper herself, takes readers inside a beehive, while telling a compelling story of the decimation of pollinating insects world-wide – and the collaboration of scientists and beekeepers in researching the alarming drop in honey bee populations. The stunning, high-quality photographs (by Ellen Harasimowicz) draw the readers into a clear, succinct text that investigates the race to solve a real-life disaster-in-progress.

Information is presented in an accessible and appealing manner, from the book’s scrapbook-style layout and clear, concise glossary, through the descriptions of bee keeping, hives, bee anatomy, and bee society

This book is relevant, exciting -- in short, superlative -- and should be considered for the ALSC Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal.
This is a superlative, informative volume on bees, bee-keeping, and colony collapse disorder. Welliver, Hilary
Colony collapse disorder of honeybees;