Volcano Rising

by Elizabeth Rusch, Susan Swan (Illustrator)

Volcanoes are a scary, catastrophic phenomenon that creates mass destruction as far as its deadly lava can reach, right? Not quite . . .

Elizabeth Rusch explores volcanoes in their entirety, explaining how they’re not all as bad as they’re made out to be. Using examples of real volcanoes from around the world, Rusch explains how some volcanoes create new land, mountains, and islands where none existed before, and how the ash helps farmers fertilize their fields. Simple, straight-forward prose provides readers with the basics, while a secondary layer of text delves deeper into the science of volcanoes. Susan Swan’s bright and explosive mixed-media illustrations perfectly complement the subject matter—they depict volcanoes in all their destructive and creative glory.

Complete with a glossary and list of further resources, VOLCANO RISING is a unique look at a fierce, yet valuable, scientific process.

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

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

ELIZABETH RUSCH is an award-winning book author, magazine writer, editor, writing teacher and speaker. Her wide-ranging passions include astronomy, volcanology, art, music, history, nature, waves, jokes, crayons, and mud — anything that catches her fancy. She is inspired by stories of exploration and discovery, stories that have been overlooked by history, and stories that grapple with persistent questions. Whether writing fiction or nonfiction for children or adults or teaching workshops, she hopes her work opens doors, opens minds, opens possibilities.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many ways to interact with this text, there are gorgeous pictures to talk to/around, regional terms and tier three vocabulary words with meanings or pronunciations included over features of the artistic diagrams and graphics when needed, onomatopoeias scattered in bold throughout, large text with simpler concepts, smaller text with details... lots to go with here! Another great aspect of this text to work with for compare contrast activities due to a strand crafted around the creative elements of volcanic activity. Plenty of other opportunities around elevation explorations in math/geography, or timelines for history could connect across content areas as well. You could use the book Life on Surtsey: Iceland’s Upstart Island to extend the creative powers of nature strand further for a unit on natural forces. And/or include books that show volcanos in as only a destructive force to discuss how the description changes the tone.

[Hannah Holthaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to use if you are teaching about volcanoes and just to have in your classroom. The way that the book is set up allows for a quick overview of what the pages are going to be about and then it gets into more detail in paragraphs on the pages. One of the super interesting things about this book are the illustrations. Even though this book is a nonfiction book, there are illustrations and not real photographs of volcanoes like you normally see in a nonfiction book. This book also talked about how volcanoes are created and did not primarily focus on how destructive volcanoes are, which is normally all we hear about. I think that volcanoes are awesome to teach about because there are so many experiments and activities that you can use to teach students about volcanoes.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book about volcanoes, straddling the line between informational and narrative. Plenty of additional information on each page to give more in depth looks at the volcanos featured. Can be awkward to read, as random words are bold and sentences are punctuated with CRASH! HISS! GURGLE! Randomly, supposedly to get the reader comfortable with the idea of volcanoes being around.

[Christine Turner]

Pair with other books for storytime (Discovery Time with Miss Christine).
Discusses volcanoes, describing what happens when they erupt, and highlighting eruptions throughout history.

Glossary is included.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great addition to any volcano study, as it focuses more on "creative" eruptions (creating new land, etc) than explosive ones.

[Cynthia Varady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book for kids who love science, geology, and things that go boom!

[Jolyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pictures are gorgeous and the words well-written. Hopefully, this can teach kids not to be so panicked over volcanoes, yet still respectful of them.

[Leland Kincaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it so much I wanted to buy it from the bookstore!!! Also, I did not know that the south sister was having a creative eruption! 🌋

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volcanoes can seem destructive, but in this nonfiction picture book they are shown to be sources of creation as well. The process of eruption and magma is described and the book looks at the fact that different volcanoes move at different speeds. The book is written in two levels, one for more of a picture book audience and the other for elementary students ready for detailed information. While the simpler part stays general, the more detailed information includes specific volcanoes and stories of their eruptions. The book makes volcanoes interesting rather than frightening, looking at how ash restores fields and how most creative eruptions can be out-walked by people.

Rusch’s two levels of text really stand apart from one another. The simpler version really reads as a playful picture book complete with sounds. It does still offer facts and information, but the deeper text is filled with those. That longer text loses the playfulness of the shorter but is a wealth of information on volcanoes that even young enthusiasts will find fascinating.

Swan’s illustrations are done in cut paper and have a vivid color that really makes the volcanoes pop. She shows various volcanoes in her art, contrasting them with one another nicely. It is the images of eruptions that really explode on the page and will delight readers.

A double-layered book that can be shared in a storytime or in a science classroom. Appropriate for ages 3-8.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

With dramatic cut-paper illustrations and informational text, Rusch and Swan team up to introduce elementary students to a variety of volcanoes from around the world. The text is divided into basic introduction in large font size, and more detailed explanations and examples in a smaller font. Swan’s spectacular illustrations use painted, textured cut paper to create striking images. The images are clearly labeled to introduce students to volcanic terms, well defined in the glossary. Unfortunately, these academic terms are not put in bold in the main text, so readers are unclear when to turn to the glossary for further definitions. Rusch provides examples for eight volcanoes around the world, from Paricutin, a steep cinder cone in Mexico that grew more than 1,300 feet in nine years, to the recent emergence of a mound next to Three Sisters in Oregon which scientists believe is the beginning of a new volcano. Throughout, Rusch emphasizes that volcanic activity creates mountains as much as it destroys landscapes. It is not clear whether she uses the term creative eruptions as a precise academic term or a more general description. Nevertheless, this makes a dramatic introduction to volcanic activity, working especially well as a read-aloud and conversation starter. Glossary, bibliography and suggestions for further reading are included as the endmatter.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally when I read about volcanoes the focus is on the incredible destructive force they manifest, but in this book, Volcano Rising, the focus is on what the author calls creative eruptions. She uses this term to refer to slower erupting volcanoes that add land or slowly change the landscape over time. The information provided here is fascinating for young and old alike. I especially appreciated the longer sections that provide specific information about individual volcanoes and their unique characteristics. I also found the account of how people have tried to stop creative eruptions but have been unable to do so.

For this kind of nonfiction book, I normally prefer photographs, but the illustrations in this book are so well done that it doesn't matter that they aren't photos. The illustrator does a fabulous job of showing the chaos that volcanoes cause and yet how amazingly beautiful they can be as well. The settings also vary a great deal. The reader travels from tropical islands to continents to undersea volcanoes giving a glimpse of the incredible variety that exists in terms of setting and volcanic characteristics.

A beautiful book that would make a great addition to any volcano loving young reader's library.

[Sarah Gutekunst · Rating 3 out of 5]

I paired Volcano Rising with Hill of Fire by Thomas Lewis, ISBN 978-0064440400.

Volcano Rising is a non-fiction book that describes how volcanoes are formed, and how they can change a landscape. The book includes details about the Paricutin, Mexico volcano that formed in a farmers field in 1943. Hill of Fire is a fiction book written from the point of view of the farmers son. The farmer farmer laments quite often that "Nothing ever happens here", but soon his life becomes very exciting.

The Paricutin volcano grew 164 feet the first day, and by 1 week old it was 500 feet tall. Hill of Fire gives the reader a feeling of what it may have been like to experience the birth of the volcano. The villagers had to evacuate the village, but there were no casualties and they relocated nearby, to land that was enriched by the volcanic ash. This fictional story helps readers to understand that even though volcanic eruptions can be damaging, they can also be beneficial.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book introduction to the creative and destructive powers of volcanoes is beautifully illustrated by Susan Swan (mixed media artist) and has a high-low format - younger audiences can appreciate volcanoes through simpler text, and older (or those who are especially keen!) will enjoy more detailed information where it is included. Emphasizing that volcanoes create land and rich soil and have positive effects is fine, but Rusch seems to indicate that their actual eruptions are classified as either destructive or creative, which is not the case. Volcanoes are fascinating, but they're also devastating - even when they are creating. It would have been interesting to see a map of the world showing where different volcanoes are located, or a timeline of modern-day eruptions, so readers would have an even better sense of place and relevance.

[Oak Lawn Public Library - Youth Services · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexile Level: 1090

Pages: 32

Summary: When people think of volcanoes, most people think of loud, frightening eruptions that destroy everything in its path. But that is not always true. Volcanoes have creative eruptions. Creative eruptions are much more common that the explosive eruptions. These creative eruptions help build new mountains and volcanoes. Just think of Hawaii.

Recommendations or Comments: Recommended. Rusch does a fabulous job of bringing the language down to a level that younger children can understand. That, along with the mixed media illustrations by Susan Swan, have created a very enjoyable look at volcanoes.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reviewed By: Jen A.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Initially the story can be a simple explanation of volcanoes and their eruptions. A second time through readers can dig deeper into the smaller text that has more detailed information. The book can also be read once through reading the larger and smaller text together. Perfect for first and second grades as wells s third grades. The illustrations are colorful but somewhat abstract. The only drawback is the size of text identifying parts of the illustrations is somewhat small and hard to notice at first.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volcano Rising uses dynamic illustrations and clear informative text to introduce grade school age students to the different parts of a volcano and explain the difference between creative and destructive eruptions. Also covered are the different types of lava that form, how lava produces new land, steps people have taken to alter the direction of a lava flow, and several ways in which people observe volcanoes. There is also a volcano lexicon in the afterward and a bibliography with website links to do further research.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part picture book, part science book, the text can be read on two levels: one, as a dynamic read aloud complete with sound effects, and, two, as an introductory volcano science book. The writing style reminded me of Dianna Hutts Aston (A Rock is Lively) has written many great read aloud science titles.

The artwork was created y manipulating found objects, hand-painted papers and scans of objects and textures in Photoshop. The product is amaaaazing!

Great for classroom use in grades 2-4.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best suited for 2nd-6th grade.
The illustrations in this book are unique. They are a colorful mix of media using found objects, hand-painted paper, etc. and blended with digital paintings.
The text focuses on volcanoes as creative and destructive forces, but with an unusual emphasis on the creative force for a refreshing change of pace.
There is also a glossary, a bibliography and a list of suggested resources for further research.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how this author described volcanoes as creative. "But volcanoes are not just destructive. Much more often, volcanoes are creative. They grow taller and wider. They form majestic mountains. And they build new islands where there were none before." I also thought the illustrations were beautiful. This would be a good book to teach onomatopoeia while sneaking in some nonfiction! Great "Volcano Vocabulary" in the back.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book can be read on two levels - an easier narrative and more difficult text making this an ideal book to add to any collection. Struggling readers will not be penalized. Gorgeous collage illustrations. Begs to be paired with the author's entry in Scientists in the Field series, Eruption.

[Janna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great nonfiction story about creative and explosive volcanos and examples from around the world including Mt. St. Helens and Kilauea. My only wish would be that she had organized it more in terms of the types of volcanos; explosive vs. destructive vs. creative vs. shield as those were the questions I was getting from kids and not being a volcanologist myself I didn't have the answers!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool book! I loved the beauty of the pictures. I loved the concept. The knowledge was fascinating, and the large type and small type makes this a good book for reading parent and child sharing the responsibilities. Very well done!!

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volcano Rising takes a dynamic approach to volcanoes, the delightful scientific words pahoehoe, tephra, Paructin, etc. labeled on the gorgeous lavish hand painted paper collage illustrations are spectacular. This title would provide a perfect real aloud introduction to volcanoes.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seriously love reading science books with my kids. I'd been trying for years to explain to them that it's okay to visit Kilauea, which I've always wanted to do. I somehow never managed to get the language quite right or something, but after this one, I think they get it.

[Amy Rachuba · Rating 3 out of 5]

How are volcanoes formed? This book covers several different types of volcanic eruptions and captures the imagination with great images. Mixed media illustrations combined with basic text and a secondary text with additional details make this a great book for a variety of levels.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done. Each page has a simple story-line, but also more in depth side-bar information making this a great introduction to volcanoes but it provides enough detail to satisfy a child who wants to know a bit more. The illustrations are wonderful as well.

[Kelly Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect informational book on volcanoes, it discusses both the positive and negative aspects of volcanic eruptions . This could be used for science and reading. This is an exciting nonfiction book that students will enjoy reading.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, informative introduction to volcanoes for younger readers. Excellent collage illustrations.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned more about volcanoes than I ever knew before, even about the super-volcano that is at Yellowstone. :) Wow, interesting stuff. Very well done book. :)

[Librariansteph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the illustrations and two levels of text.