Surviving Natural Disasters

Gr 7—10—These titles provide one- to two-page profiles of young people's lives as they deal with serious circumstances. Average-quality photographs appear throughout, but the images are not necessarily of the person described. Green looks at recent disasters and how these victims survived the chaos. This book is the most compelling of the three, reading almost like an action thriller. However, due to the brevity of the entries, there is little in-depth information about specific disasters. Saliba does an excellent job of showing the varying populations affected by the HIV virus—there are no stereotypes. The book is somewhat hopeful in tone, as the individuals are seeking and receiving treatment. This title has the most statistics, but they are not overwhelming. Senker explains the specific reasons for seeking asylum, then provides examples of young people either successful or unsuccessful in their quests. The bureaucratic process is described as nightmarish, especially for people already traumatized by their circumstances. Due to the personal nature of these books, there is a sense of immediacy about the various problems confronted. While interesting reading, there is not enough information for reports, and the subject matter does not lend itself to general interest. The best use for these books would be to supplement reports, almost like primary-source documents.—Lisa Crandall, formerly at Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI