Earthquake Terror

Author: Peg Kehret

Main Characters: Jonathan, Moose (the dog), and Abby

The family goes on a family vacation to Magpie Island. It is basically roughing it but with a camper. This particular day they go to the lake nearby. While at the lake, Jonathan's mother slips and breaks her ankle. Because his sister is using a walker, she had an accident that left her partially paralyzed, they decided it would be faster for his dad to take his mom across the bridge and to the nearest hospital, leaving Jonathan to watch his sister for a few hours. Little did they know that a terrible earthquake would hit while they were gone. Jonathan must contend with a paralyzed six year old and a faithful dog during this tumultuous time. They return to the camper to find it has been crushed completely by a fallen redwood. They have no supplies: no food, no drinkable water, no shelter, and no Raggedy doll for Abby. Jonathan goes out in search of a way to signal people from the edge of the lake when he realizes that the lake has overflowed its bank! They were going to drown for sure if he didn't do something quickly. This was a really interesting read. I liked the reality it gave: no sugar-coating anything. This was a good read for my middle school students and a great science book. I am definitely adding this to my science book list.