A review by chitownjr
Eruption!: Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives by Elizabeth Rusch

5.0

This latest edition in the Scientists in the Field series focuses on the heroic work of the first and only international volcano crisis team, the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program or VDAP. The book opens with a harrowing description and photographs of the destruction wrought by the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia. Vowing to never let this happen again, we follow the courageous and determined scientists of the VDAP in their quest to predict volcanic eruptions and avoid catastrophe. Using personal narrative and breathtaking photographs, Rusch focuses specifically on the scientists’ work with two volcanoes, Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines and Mount Merapi in Indonesia. The exciting first person accounts are made instructive through the addition of helpful maps, educational diagrams and sidebars. Designed for fifth through eighth graders, the large format book includes a handy glossary, extensive bibliography and index. This book would be a wonderful addition to the non-fiction collection of a school or public library.