Death in the Donner Party

November 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Human error can turn already dangerous situations and natural disasters into catastrophic events. Each book summarizes the topic incident from beginning to end and explains how public reaction triggered changes, such as stricter building codes after the Great Chicago Fire and a new federal weather bureau after the Blizzard of 1888. Concluding summary spreads use arrows to link together causes and effects for the disasters. Text averages about three long paragraphs per page, which allows for adequate background and detail without being too gratuitous, gory, or sensational. A major strength is the combination of large photos and high-quality maps, graphs, and charts that depict the magnitude of the disasters. There is no shortage of coverage about most of these topics, but the well-done narratives and images will help students understand the impact of each disaster on history.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2016
Grades 4-7 In suspenseful prose, this installment in the Cause-and-Effect Disasters series introduces key facts about the Donner Party's doomed passage westward through the Sierra Nevada mountains. In keeping with the series theme, moments where members of the Donner Party could have made different choices are emphasized and recounted in a cause-and-effect table after the narrative account. Oachs appropriately focuses on the dire conditions the travelers encountered and offers succinct explanations for their difficulties, though morbid-minded readers will be disappointed that she mentions cannibalism only in passing. Photos, graphs, maps, and woodcut illustrations break up the text and provide helpful visual context. In addition to highlighting a notable event, this slim volume encourages a critical-thinking approach to examining history. Further reading, a glossary, and source notes close out this high-interest title.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)