BLIZZARD! The Storm that Changed America

With a confident and sometimes matter-of-fact tone, Mali brings listeners back in time to March 12, 1888—the day two storms converged to create an East Coast blizzard some called the Great White Hurricane. New York City and its environs were hit particularly hard (800 people in the city perished) and Murphy describes how all citizens from all walks of life in Manhattan, New Jersey and Connecticut were impacted by the devastating cold and snow. Accounts of survivors and victims provide a captivating blend of gravity, immediacy and drama. Murphy's well-rounded information about the various circumstances that worsened the effects of the storm make the tale both more fascinating and more tragic. Mali's steady delivery is very well suited to the material; it allows listeners time to absorb this gripping history lesson. Ages 9-up. (Jan.)