Killer Smog

Natural disasters can come as unsuspecting as a fog, and this book explains how The Great Smog of 1952 occurred as well as the effects it had on all of London.

The first sentence opens like an eerie mystery and immediately draws young readers into the scene. Readers will sympathize with the little girl as she tries to make her way through the mysterious fog. The accompany photographs enrich the atmosphere, making the entire event come to life. The history behind the fog and its causes remains rooted in facts, while keeping the information from getting too dry. Quotes from people who experienced the situation as well as little bubbles of extra tidbits dabbled among the photographs make it fun to glimpse through the pages and grab up pieces of information on the way.

Although the seriousness of the catastrophe is never down-played, the ending offers a ray of hope and explains what has been done to hinder a future occurrence, and what is still being done to improve air quality in general. A glossary at the end offers definitions to the more difficult, high-lighted words in the book. There’s also a link to a website, where kids can discover more about the smog and play a crossword puzzle.

Gr 4-6–A dramatic introduction sets the scene of each event, followed by short chapters that describe it from start to finish or to its current status, with an emphasis on its immediate and continuing human costs. Each book clearly states who or what was responsible for the disaster, and discusses restitution or lack thereof to victims, as well as the ongoing or long-term detrimental effects. “Fixing the Future” sections detail continuing cleanup efforts or measures to prevent future calamities….VERDICT: This set will help readers understand the myriad large-scale ecological disasters that can happen and their lasting human and societal costs. A solid purchase.