Meltdown!

Gr 5–9—This title covers the nuclear disaster at Fukushima from the first tremor of the Great Tohoku Earthquake to the aftermath of the meltdown. Bortz uses the present tense to engage readers though this sometimes makes the narrative difficult to follow. A short history and detailed description of nuclear power is full of scientific explanations that can be daunting to readers unfamiliar with the concepts, but the information is valuable. The author also examines the nuclear disasters at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Although some topics are discussed in great detail, others, such as the harm caused by radiation, are glossed over. The last chapter tackles the question of what this recent incident means for our energy future, providing a look at several options but leaning heavily toward properly planned and regulated nuclear plants as the answer. Full-color photographs and detailed diagrams appear on each spread. Purchase widely for the timeliness of the topic, but make sure you have a variety of alternative energy books on your shelves to go with it.—Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN