An unusually handsome design and a brisk, information-packed narrative make this new volume from the Snapshots in History series an outstanding acquisition for libraries. Starting with references to residents piling into New Orleans' Superdome, the book traces the individual, city, and national responses to the storm and subsequent relief efforts. Sidebars address relevant issues, such as racism and the high lead content in the soil, while the main text chronologically narrates the storm's onset, the devastation it left behind, and the cleanup efforts that ensued. As useful for research as it is for general-interest reading.

BRENNAN, Linda Crotta . The Gulf Oil Spill . ISBN 978-1-61783-957-3 ; ISBN 978-1-62401-321-8 ; ISBN 978-1-62403-022-2 . LC 2013932003. CARAVANTES, Peggy . Hurricane Katrina . ISBN 978-1-61783-958-0 ; ISBN 978-1-62401-322-5 ; ISBN 978-1-62403-023-9 . LC 2013931969. MARCINIAK, Kristin . The Flu Pandemic of 1918 . ISBN 978-1-61783-956-6 ; ISBN 978-1-62401-320-1 ; ISBN 978-1-62403-021-5 . LC 2013931971. MCDOUGALL, Chr&6;s . The San Francisco Earthquake and Fire . ISBN 978-1-61783-959-7 ; ISBN 978-1-62401-323-2 ; ISBN 978-1-62403-024-6 . LC 2013932004. RISSMAN, Rebecca . The Chernobyl Disaster . ISBN 978-1-61783-955-9 ; ISBN 978-1-62401-319-5 ; ISBN 978-1-62403-020-8 . LC 2013932006. YASUDA, Anita . The Sinking of the Titantic . ISBN 978-1-61783-960-3 ; ISBN 978-1-62401-324-9 ; ISBN 978-1-62403-025-3 . LC 2013932005. ea vol: 48p. (History's Greatest Disasters Series). chron. diag. further reading. glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. ABDO . 2013. lib. ed. $32.79; ebk. $32.79; pap. $15.64. Gr 5-8 These chronologically arranged accounts of major world disasters begin with background information followed by a summary of events and analysis of how each event resulted in technological or regulatory changes to prevent or mitigate the effects of similar happenings in the future. The authors are objective about the human causes or reactions to each disaster, and sidebars encourage readers to form their own opinions by comparing opposing viewpoints from primary-source accounts. Additional resources are available on the publisher's website. The set is designed to support the Common Core State Standards, and there are numerous prompts, including a "Stop and Think" section at the end of each book, that suggest independent research and writing activities. These titles contain average-quality photos, maps, and reproductions and have a textbook quality that may limit their appeal. Many of the topics have been covered in extant series, making this set an additional purchase.