World Disasters: Krakatoa

by Don Nardo

Book Overview

On August 26, 1883 the people on the Javan and Sumatran coasts were surprised and shocked by the violent eruption of the three cones of the volcano on the island of Krakatoa. The volcanoes exploded in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560060115
• ISBN13: 9781560060116
• Release Date: June 1990
• Publisher: Lucent Books
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.2" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 10 to 20 years
• Grade Range: Grade 5 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Excellent

In May of 1883, in the narrow straights that separate the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia (then known as the Dutch East Indies), a volcano that the experts thought extinct suddenly came to life. On August 26 of that same year, Krakatoa, the small volcanic island, literally exploded, sending dust and debris into the upper atmosphere (and thus around the world), and causing tidal waves (tsunamis) that killed some 36,000 people! This book is the story of that dreadful eruption. In this excellent book, author Don Nardo runs a narrative that allows the reader to watch the tragedy unfold, engulfing the lives of numerous eyewitnesses. Interspersed are sidebars that explain various historical and scientific subjects that are raised in the text. My eight-year-old son has an interest in disasters, and he really enjoyed this book. Not knowing anything about the subject, I read it too. As an adult, I found the book to be highly informative, and yet interesting to read. The author did an excellent job of telling a story of catastrophe, without becoming morbid. My son and I both enjoyed this book, and recommend it to you.