Blizzard
Grade 5 Up-In the style of The Great Fire (Scholastic, 1995), Murphy writes a fascinating account of the March, 1888, storm that paralyzed the Northeastern U.S. for four days. This terrifying natural disaster is described from the perspectives of several individuals of various ages and social positions, primarily in New York City, some of whom survived the storm and some of whom did not. The narrative is a readable and seamless blend of history and adventure adapted from extensive first-person accounts and primary news sources. Beginning with an ominous harbinger, the scene is set with descriptions of what life was like at that time, including popular culture and means of forecasting the weather, which completely failed in this instance. The text is exciting without being melodramatic: as the storm arrives, strengthens, and stays, readers come to see the horrible extent to which people had to cope with the loss of food, heat, communications, and loved ones. Concluding by explaining why this event is important, the author places it in the context of other weather and its effect on history. Authentic photographs, drawings, and maps that demonstrate the course of the storm, all done in the same sepia tone as the text, perfectly illustrate the book. Overall, a superb piece of writing and history.Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, ILCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.