Surviving an Earthquake

November 1, 2010

Gr 3-7-These colorful books contain numerous photos and illustrations that effectively break the texts into small, readable chunks. There's lots of practical, everyday information here on food and water, shelter and safety, as well as some out-of-the-ordinary advice on how to cut open a cactus, make an igloo, and signal for a helicopter to land. Brief yet gripping real-life survival stories are interspersed throughout the books but are not documented and leave readers wanting to know more. Champion covers a lot of ground without going into great depth. Outdoorsy kids, including reluctant readers, will enjoy browsing through these appealing introductions to a wide variety of survival skills.-Marcia Kochel, The Galloway School, Atlanta, GA

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2010
Grades 4-7 Lost in a wild forest, on a remote mountain, or on a snowy Arctic plain, could you find your way to safety? This useful volume in the Survive Alive series introduces the skills needed to become a navigator. Following a brief introduction to early explorers and their maps, double-page spreads highlight both natural (e.g., wind direction and star constellations) and man-made (e.g., compasses and GPS receivers) navigation techniques and tools. Aboriginal trackers, nomadic peoples, armed forces pathfinders, and other real-life navigators are featured, as is the sport of orienteering. The author takes both hemispheres into account, particularly when demonstrating such navigation practices as locating the North Star and Southern Cross and using an analog watch to find north and south. With eye-catching photographs, clear explanations, a survival skills quiz, a glossary, Web sites, and True Survival stories of individuals who used some of the techniques mentioned, this engaging text encourages readers to figure out where they are and where they want to go.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)