Few natural events are as dramatic as an earthquake, and more than a thousand of them shake our planet daily. In her latest book, B.C. teacher and author Cynthia Pratt Nicolson gives a solid overview of these awesome, frightening events and includes amazing colour photos that spotlight their destructive power.

The eye-catching cover of Earthquake! resembles newsprint with excited headlines screaming “Measuring the Monster!” and “Swallowed Alive!” Slapped askew on top of this is a dramatic photo of a lone cyclist moving through the precarious post-quake ruins of Kobe, Japan. Nicolson examines the shock and aftermath of this devastating earthquake, then segues into discussions of how and why earthquakes occur, how we detect and measure them, and ways to survive them. Information boxes of Disaster Data reveal amazing statistics and fascinating stories about famous earthquakes. You Try It sections suggest hands-on activities illustrating the geological principles at work during an earthquake – for example, readers are asked to wrap blocks of wood with sandpaper and try to rub the blocks together in order to visualize plate tectonics. Nicolson includes information on tsunamis, earthquake rescue techniques, differing seismic wave patterns, and construction designs for earthquake-prone areas.

The many colour photos provide frightening evidence of nature’s fury and reiterate the concepts presented in the text. Natural disasters certainly grasp the attention of young readers, and with its lively, colourful layout and accessible language, Earthquake! is a great choice for public and school libraries.