Gopher to the Rescue! A Volcano Recovery Story

Earth Systems & Human Activity

by Terry Catasús Jennings, Laurie O'Keefe

The forest animals are surprised when a volcano suddenly explodes, covering the land in gritty warm ash and rocks that make it unlivable for many plants and animals. Gopher survives in his undergound burrow with food to eat. How does Gopher help bring life back to the mountain? Scientists spent years observing life returning to the mountain following the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. This fictionalized story is based on their surprising observations of how life returns to an area that has been totally changed or destroyed. (Ages 4 - 9)

Genres: Picture Books, Science, Childrens, Animals, Nature, Nonfiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Tina Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gopher has a big job to do! Come learn how the forest, the animals and the ground recovers and heals when a Volcano erupts. I learned quite a bit as I read this book. You don't think about how long and what a major job it is for the environment to recover after a big event like a volcano erupts, a river floods or a forest fire occurs.

The book opens with the animals sensing that something is about to happen. Of course they don't know what it is but when the ground starts shaking and a loud BOOM happens they flee. Some of the animals don't make it and die and those that live underground (gophers, insects, worms, etc) continue on as though nothing happened. Gopher to the rescue does a wonderful job in walking children (and grownups too) through a timeline of the healing of the habitat, how the underground animals/insects dig tunnels and their waste feeds the earth to enrich it and help it grow new vegetation - as time goes by little by little animals and other creatures begin to return.

A wonderful book that older preschoolers will enjoy. Early elementary children will enjoy it also and there are activities and explanations about what volcanoes are and why they erupt, natural disasters and habitat changes.

[Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The volcano rumbles, shaking the earth for miles around, giving warning to the forest animals. Steam and ash burst from the top of the mountain. After another more terrible rumble, snow and rocks slide down the mountain. The volcano erupts. An explosion blows down all the trees and the top of the mountain disappears.

All the forest animals handle the disaster in different ways. Some try to run away. The gopher digs and digs. He is safe in his burrow with roots and bulbs to eat. Although the world is hot and dry, he is not the only one to survive. A mouse and a beetle crawl out of in their hiding places. Newts and frogs survive under the ice and mud.

Based on the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, Terry Jennings explains how the animals help life to return to the mountain. Laurie O’Keefe’s illustrations help show what happens before, during and after the destruction.

This Creative Minds book includes an education section for teachers and parents to use with their students.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting and informative book about how nature finds a way to recover after a disaster.

The narrative isn't too long and the illustrations really help explain the science. I like how the story makes the science more understandable.

I would recommend this book for elementary school-age children. We enjoyed reading this book together.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The forest animals are surprised when a volcano suddenly explodes, covering the land in gritty warm ash and rocks that make it unlivable for many plants and animals. Gopher survives in his undergound burrow with food to eat. How does Gopher help bring life back to the mountain? Scientists spent years observing life returning to the mountain following the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. This fictionalized story is based on their surprising observations of how life returns to an area that has been totally changed or destroyed. (Ages 4 - 9)

reading level 3.7 - easy and accessible for younger grades - purchased for 4th grade Support literature of ELA Benchmark series.

[Elizabeth Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gopher to the Rescue tells the story of the land recovering after a volcano. The gopher stays and slowly other animals join and the plants begin to emerge. This book reads as fiction, but includes factual information about volcanoes at the back of the book. Non-fiction text features including maps, charts, and bold words are located at back of book as well. Would tie in well to the study of volcanic rock.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever, fun educational story that captured by group of first graders.

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a volcano erupts, is it possible for the surrounding countryside which has been devastated to recover, and if so, how can it occur? All the animals in the wilderness, such as the snowshoe hare, the black bear, the gopher, the elk, the squirrel, sense that something is different on the nearby mountain. The ground shakes. Steam and ash burst from the mountain’s top. Then the volcano erupts. Many of the animals are killed, but gopher is safe in his burrow with plenty of tasty roots and bulbs to eat. Over the next few days, weeks, months, and years, what happens to bring both plant and animal life back to the mountain area? And what part does gopher play in it all?
This fictionalized story, with text by science author Terry Catasus Jennings and art by scientific illustrator Laurie O’Keefe, is based on the surprising observations made by scientists who have spent years studying the return of life to the mountain following the eruption of Mt. St. Helens on May 18, 1980. The “For Creative Minds” section has further information on volcanoes and tectonic plates, a quiz concerning how natural disasters bring habitat changes, and a hands-on activity about pressure and melting. In addition, sixty to seventy pages of cross-curricular teaching activities and three interactive reading comprehension and math quizzes on Gopher to the Rescue can be found at the publisher’s website to help parents and educators extend the learning possibilities. It is a picture book that is both fun to read and great as a launching pad for educational discussion.

[Jayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ages 5 and up

This book tells the story of a volcano eruption and how the animals and the environment recover after the eruption. Before the volcano erupted, Gopher dug tunnels to live in and stay safe. Gopher's tunnels help the animals after the volcano erupts as well.

This would be good when talking about natural disasters. This book was very informative and would be a good introduction for children about how animals handle natural disasters.

[Rochelle Sondae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covered a subject I had absolutely no knowledge of before opening it up to read to a 2 1/2 year old today. It was easy to understand (for both of us) and gentle in its handling of the disaster that ensues after a volcanic eruption. My favorite spread was the one where the survivors are sharing the gophers hole and he looks a little surprised to find them there.

[Terry]

My friend used this with her class and the book was well-received. Gopher to the Rescue is nicely done with lots of good information. This would be an or unit on nature.

[Slytano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animals make anatomically impossible faces!

Animals die!

A great look at how life adapts to the explosion of a volcano.

This book is funny when it is not supposed to be funny.

This review is not funny. This review is lame.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although a decent book to introduce many lessons (volcanoes, animals, etc.) I did not enjoy this book at all. I thought the pictures were created using the wrong techniques because many times the gopher in particular but also many of his friends looked more scary than realistic.

[Wendy Garland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love the book but it addresses the recovery of an area destroyed by a volcano. Perhaps a read aloud for a unit involving volcanoes and natural disasters.

[Candace Carr]

This book can be read in a 3rd to 5th grade classroom on a unit about volcanoes and use this as support on what can happen to animals when a volcano erupts.

[Ella Zig · Rating 4 out of 5]

what happens after there is a volcano?
how is the land rebuilt? what happens to the animals?
this book answers those questions.
good read.

[Danielle Mootz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and educational story about the gophers contributions to the ecosystem.