Floodwaters and Flames

March 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-After an Easter ice storm with winds up to 90 miles per hour, two days of rain overwhelmed a levee on the Great Miami River, which rushed into Dayton, OH, at 25 miles per hour, flooding a 14-square-mile area. Though the 1913 disaster is not widely remembered today, the deluge and associated fires destroyed 20,000 homes and claimed more than 400 lives. In this time line-driven narrative, Huey shifts the perspective frequently among several survivors, including a city librarian, who scrambled to save thousands of children's books, and prominent Daytonians such as aviation pioneer Orville Wright and John Patterson, founder of the National Cash Register corporation. But perhaps the most fascinating figure is Bill Sloan, a pitcher with the Dayton Marcos who worked in a local foundry during the off-season. Sloan commandeered a boat at gunpoint and spent 60 hours rescuing more than 300 people stranded by the flood. Striking contemporaneous photos show floodwaters reaching to the rafters of homes in the city's less affluent neighborhoods and horses swimming past half-submerged streetlights downtown. The text includes a page of source notes, though nearly two-thirds of them refer to a single monograph. VERDICT Despite some interesting features, in the wake of more recent and devastating disasters, particularly Hurricane Katrina, this offering could be a difficult sell.-Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson Middle School, Falls Church, VA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2016
The story of the great flood of 1913, forgotten by many, from the residents of the city it hit hardest. Archaeologist and children's author Huey learned of the 1913 storm and its trail of destruction from the upper Midwest to New England from markings in an old factory in New York. After a bit of research, she found that one city, Dayton, Ohio, was a symbol of the disaster to the whole nation at the time...and yet the modern general public knows little of Dayton's trial by flood and fire. Continuing her research in Dayton, Huey discovered first-person accounts of the disaster and presents them in a narrative timeline. In the mingled voices of John Patterson, wealthy owner of National Cash Register, Orville and Katharine Wright, and librarian Mary Althoff, among other survivors, the story of the disaster plays out over three days in short sections devoted to each. Hobbled by a lack of information from Dayton's poorer (and largely African-American) west side, Huey includes the heroic story of black baseball player Bill Sloan, who saved 300 from the rising waters in a commandeered canoe. A spot or two of confusing prose doesn't mar this exciting account of the little-known disaster that helped spawn the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Ample black-and-white photos, document reproductions, and maps as well as fine aftermatter make this a good addition to historical collections anywhere. (Nonfiction. 8-14)

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Starred review from March 1, 2016
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* After enduring 7090 mph winds for two days, an ice storm the next, and two days of heavy rain, the residents of Dayton, Ohio, became aware of a new threat on March 25, 1913. Situated at the confluence of three rivers, the city had been protected by levees, but the rising waters quickly spilled over into the streets, flooding the lower floors of businesses and homes and trapping more than 70,000 residents in buildings, in trees, and on poles. That night brought freezing temperatures; the morning, gas explosions and fire. Illustrated with excellent archival photos, often reproduced in sepia tones, Huey's informative overview of events is punctuated by closer looks at how eight people weathered the storm as it progressed. These include Orville Wright and his sister Katharine; librarian Mary Althoff, who stayed in the library; and National Cash Register Company founder John Patterson, who quickly turned his factory into a relief center for residents fleeing their homes. These recurring individual narratives offer effective perspectives on events in different parts of town. Well researched, the book includes some quotes but relies mainly on the clear, direct reporting of this inherently dramatic tale. This cleanly designed book tells a little-known disaster story in quite the memorable fashion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)