Starred review from August 1, 2020
Gr 5-8-Up until the 1960s, geologists had little idea what caused earthquakes. Following a discovery initially made by geologist and cartographer Marie Tharp during World War II, scientists revisited the idea of continental drift, an early 20th-century theory developed by German meteorologist Alfred Wegener. In the decades since the return to Wegener's theory, the science of plate tectonics has helped clarify why earthquakes happen and how they might be accurately predicted. Several chapters detail scientific fieldwork, including climbing mountains to set and maintain instruments and visiting remote ponds to gather core samples of the muck beneath. The work described is assisted by graduate students or even undergraduates, providing encouragement to budding scientists. The book is elaborately illustrated, often with full-page color photos of scientists and students at work, along with relevant and clearly presented maps and diagrams. Closing chapters outline widespread efforts to prepare for a devastating earthquake in the northwest U.S. In addition to the recommended further reading, Rusch offers a lengthy source list, including personal interviews as well as articles, websites, and books. VERDICT A first-rate resource. Highly recommended for elementary and middle schools, particularly those with a STEM focus.-Bob Hassett, Luther Jackson M.S., Falls Church, VA
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2020
Off the Pacific Northwest coast, running about six hundred miles from British Columbia to Northern California, lies the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where "a heavier plate pushes under a lighter one." Such a situation signals the frequent occurrence of earthquakes, but, in a scientific mystery not unlocked until the waning years of the twentieth century, this area had no record of earthquakes. Then a group of scientific Sherlocks begin looking into the anomaly as they tried to reconcile the historical record with what plate tectonic hypotheses suggested. Rusch links the findings from many disparate disciplines -- geology, oceanography, paleoseismology, folkloristics -- individuals studied in order to determine if there were any records of ancient enormous quakes. By combining their research, scientists uncovered evidence of quakes in much earlier times, allowing them to predict that a devastating megaquake -- one lasting for minutes rather than seconds and recording a magnitude of over 8.0 -- would occur, perhaps in the next fifty years. The final step Rusch outlines is preparedness: what populations living in the area should do in case of a Cascadia earthquake. Here she focuses on individual and community measures, again showing the power of combining more than one approach to study a problem. Appended with a bibliography, suggestions for further reading and research, a glossary, and an index.
(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
November 1, 2020
Off the Pacific Northwest coast, running about six hundred miles from British Columbia to Northern California, lies the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where "a heavier plate pushes under a lighter one." Such a situation signals the frequent occurrence of earthquakes, but, in a scientific mystery not unlocked until the waning years of the twentieth century, this area had no record of earthquakes. Then a group of scientific Sherlocks begin looking into the anomaly as they tried to reconcile the historical record with what plate tectonic hypotheses suggested. Rusch links the findings from many disparate disciplines -- geology, oceanography, paleoseismology, folkloristics -- individuals studied in order to determine if there were any records of ancient enormous quakes. By combining their research, scientists uncovered evidence of quakes in much earlier times, allowing them to predict that a devastating megaquake -- one lasting for minutes rather than seconds and recording a magnitude of over 8.0 -- would occur, perhaps in the next fifty years. The final step Rusch outlines is preparedness: what populations living in the area should do in case of a Cascadia earthquake. Here she focuses on individual and community measures, again showing the power of combining more than one approach to study a problem. Appended with a bibliography, suggestions for further reading and research, a glossary, and an index. Betty Carter
(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)