Earthquake in Haiti

Gr 3—5—On January 12, 2010, an earthquake that measured 7.0 on the Richter scale hit Haiti. The ordeal of two survivors, Wismond Exantus Jean-Pierre and Christa Brelsford, during and after the quake, is referred to throughout, but the author also includes two-page chapters on how doctors and rescue teams helped other survivors, and the different ways money has been raised to help fund the relief efforts. Each chapter contains quotes, labeled color photographs, and a sidebar with additional facts. The reality of the disaster is sad to read, but the author does include examples of heroic behaviors, reconstruction efforts, and work programs. Although there is more to do, as the last chapter attests to, there are signs of hope as long as people continue to help those who have lost their loved ones, homes, and jobs. Report writers will find reliable and pertinent information in this book. They may even be inspired to raise money through a charity event of their own, as elementary students did in Arizona, Baltimore, and Great Britain.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada