Elizabeth Rusch

Love this series. Aimed at kids, and being discussed in Children's Books group here on GR, June 2021, but for all ages really.
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I was busy with my first brand-new baby and did not hear about the 23,000 lost in Armero. Wow. This book quickly sums up the horrifying history of the mismanagement of the warnings the volcano gave the local residents. And that's just the prologue.

Carefully skimming the book.

Not my field of interest, but still finding fascinating bits. Politics and sociology, for show more example, are related fields, as the volcanologists can only advise evacuations, but leaders have to call for them.

Also interesting is the post-mortem which may not be one... there are indication that Mount Merapi may only be warming up for another, perhaps bigger, eruption, as the analysis after the 2010 eruptions. One of the statistics from that struck me is that 18 kilometers out, the layer of ash in the soil was 3 cm deep. Seems like a lot to me!

I liked that the emphasis was on saving lives with science. Yes, it's clear that there's adventure, but you don't become a volcanologist for the thrill; it's not a sport. I also very much appreciate that local scientists are featured. Thank goodness we don't have to deal with White Savior issues.

Anyway, another worthy book in this great series. show less

An excellent examination of one of the key ideas upon which all modern scientific endeavor rests - namely, that our understanding of reality must keep pace with new evidence - this charming picture-book biography follows the life story of astronomer Mike Brown, who, from the time he was a child, wanted to discover additional planets in our solar system. Hi search turned up many previously unknown celestial bodies, from the trans-Neptunian object Sedna, to the dwarf planet Eris, and - more show more importantly - led to a reevaluation of the definition of a planet. Yes, Brown is the man whose research is responsible for the reclassification of Pluto, and as The Planet Hunter makes plain, he is to celebrated for it!

I'm not sure exactly what I expected from Elizabeth Rusch's book, but what I got was an engaging mixture of human interest story, complete with some of the details of Mike Brown's life - I loved the final scene, where he's clipping Pluto out of his infant daughter's mobile! - and scientifically illuminating exploration. This author really knows how to make scientific ideas both clear and interesting, and the accompanying illustrations by Guy Francis are very appealing, emphasizing the atmosphere of discovery. I know that some are, for sentimental reasons, attached to the idea of Pluto as a planet, but given that we live in a country in which various municipalities have tried to interfere in this issue - a country in which science is daily under siege by the forces of unreason - I think a book like this is most welcome! It highlights the idea that Mike Brown's discovery, which adds to our knowledge, rather than detracting from it, is something wonderful! show less

This inspiring book about the US Women's National Soccer team and their fight for pay equality (even as they dominated world tournaments) is accessible, factual, and exciting. I don't think it's possible for anyone to read this book and not want to stand up in protest. Part celebration of women's soccer, part partial biography of specific players, part historical record and part call to action, this book is well-done on all accounts. I especially enjoyed it as a female soccer fan who show more remembers watching so many of the games and players that are described in the book. With short chapters, vivid description, and straight-forward prose, this book will capture and hold the attention of all sorts of young readers. show less

Another excellent addition to the "Scientists in the Field" series. There are lots of volcano books for kids at the library, but I'd venture to say this is the best (especially for ages 9 to 12).

The true danger of volcanoes has never been so palpable on the page. Author Elizabeth Rusch takes readers all over the globe to visit some of the world's most explosive volcanoes and we get to meet the people living at their doorsteps, along with the scientists whose main priority is keeping folks show more out of harm's way. It's trickier than it sounds. Evacuating an area around an active volcano means hugely disrupting people's lives. What if you tell them to flee and you're wrong? What if you don't tell them to flee and they die?

This book has local interest for Washington state, too. Obviously, we are in the Ring of Fire and Mt. St. Helens lurks. But did you know that the VDAP (Volcano Disaster Assistance Program) has offices in Vancouver, Washington, at the Cascades Volcano Observatory? (You can check our volcano alert level here: http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo/.)

Wonderfully written, with awesome photography, and packed with information, I imagine this will inspire some future vulcanologists. show less