Earth Shattering Events: Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Cyclones, Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters

Why does the Earth shudder and shake? What makes a cyclone swirl and a wildfire leap uphill? Jacobs answers these questions and more in this engaging compendium. Divided into geological and meteorological categories, a dedicated section defines each phenomenon, covering its whys, hows, and results; measurement and evaluation techniques; and survival advice (in an avalanche: “swim backstroke uphill as hard as you can”). Each section concludes with a full-spread world map pinpointing and describing “the Biggest and the Worst.” Williams’s off-kilter, doodle-inflected illustrations adroitly depict a colorful array of maps, diagrams, and images ranging from a fracking rig to volcano innards. The introduction’s warning—“every so often, the planet reminds us who’s boss”—rings out again at the conclusion, which explains how climate change could amplify each of these terrible and fascinating natural events. Ages 6–12. (Apr.)