(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jeanette Winter. When the Exxon Valdez runs aground in 1989 and dumps oil along the Alaskan coast, the damage done is brutal, extensive, and long-lasting. With confidence in his young audience's ability to grasp the seriousness of the spill and its environmental repercussions, Jonah Winter begins with an explanation of how oil is extracted from the earth and carried by pipelines through a tundra that Native people call home. When disaster happens, Jeanette Winter's initially bright illustrations turn dark, as inky blobs and streaks of oil overtake the land and its inhabitants, turning birds and otters into oil-soaked lumps within sinister pools of browns and blacks that change to purples and yellows on the ocean's surface. The efforts of environmentalists to save and clean the creatures bring some hope, but "most of the animals die." Even decades later, when renewal of the animal populations has occurred, oil still seeps from the ground. It's a sobering but necessary reminder that these disasters are not easily tidied up. An appended author's note is clear on the timely importance of addressing this issue: "our dependence on oil will make the earth uninhabitable for many life-forms, including humans." The book concludes with a list of further reading.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(4) 4-6 Code Red series. Twelve double-page spreads introduce each disaster, give some background, and describe reactions and changes in public policy in response to the events. While the writing never completely conveys the enormity of these catastrophes, the photographs show some of the drama. A final spread briefly profiles three or four people with roles in the events. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Code Red titles: The Exxon Valdez's Deadly Oil Spill, Emergency at Three Mile Island, The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, The 2001 World Trade Center Attack, The Great Chicago Fire, and The Texas City Disaster.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 When Disaster Struck series. This volume begins with a brief account of the ship's 1989 grounding. The text then continues with a chronological description of the events leading to the oil spill off Alaska's rocky coast, the cleanup, and its ecological impact, to provide a comprehensive analysis of one of the worst environmental disasters in history. Maps, photographs, sidebars, and primary sources on busy pages are included. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) 4-6 Ten years later, Markle explores why the Exxon Valdez oil spill was so disastrous, how it affected animal and human populations in Prince William Sound, how these populations have recovered, if at all, and what is being done to prevent future spills. The concise, cogent discussion is accompanied by striking color photographs that illustrate the huge extent of the the damage. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) 4-6 American Disasters series. These books examine six disasters--three natural and three caused by human intent or neglect--that occurred within the United States during the past decade. The simple texts describe the events, their causes and consequences, how individuals and communities were affected, and what steps have been taken to improve safety in possible future occurrences. The dramatic color photos sometimes lack clarity but won't fail to draw readers. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta