Dangerous Planet: Natural Disasters That Changed History

Bryn Barnard has illustrated many books for children and has reconstructed numerous natural disasters for Time-Life and the National Geographic Society.

*Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. "We live on a dangerous planet." To emphasize that point, Barnard's fascinating offering begins with a heavily dotted world map that denotes significant natural disasters, "just the big ones." Following an overview of the ways natural disasters have influenced history, Barnard takes a closer look at nine of those calamities (and one looming disaster), the effects of which are occasionally still felt today. He begins with information on the meteor that killed the dinosaurs and follows with a discussion of a tsunami that destroyed the Minoan culture, ensuring that the culture of the warlike Mycenaeans would be handed down through the Greeks. The Aksum, sub-Saharan Africa's most important civilization, was ended by a drought. A blizzard paralyzing New York City led to the construction of an all-weather, traffic-proof transit system--underground. Barnard describes these events and more in an absorbing narrative that includes touches of humor. The oversize format allows for full-page paintings that portray the height of the disaster as well as space for maps and smaller pieces of art. Teachers will find many uses for this, but the book is so engaging it will also attract browsers--and hold them. A bibliography of books and Web sites is included, but a source list would have been helpful. Ilene Cooper
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