What Was the Children's Blizzard of 1888?

What was...?

by Steve Korté, Dede Putra (Illustrator), Who HQ

Learn about the deadly and unexpected blizzard that slammed the Midwestern United States in 1888 and doomed many young lives in this addition to the New York Times Bestselling What Was? series.

On January 12, 1888, a surprise blizzard broke out in the middle of the day across the Midwest. In its path, hundreds of children and teachers found themselves stranded inside schoolhouses with no food, no heat, and very few options. Days passed, and over 235 people died as result of the harsh snow of the Schoolhouse Blizzard, but many were able to survive thanks to the bravery of others in their communities. Learn all about the disastrous weather conditions and the people who were affected by it in this book for young readers.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Historical, Audiobook

112 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2023

Reviews

[Daniel Ray]

January 1888 in the upper Great Plains was a brutally cold month, with highs around zero and lows often 30 below. On January 12th, warm air arrived from the Gulf of Mexico and people went out improperly dressed. In the middle of the day and without warning, a snow blizzard hit the area. A blizzard requires winds of 35 mph. Many children were in school when it hit. The teachers had a dilemma. Send the kids home in the blizzard improperly dressed or keep them inside the school buildings. But they had no food and an inadequate heat source. Some kids were sent home. Some were kept at school. Loss of life was estimated between 225 and 500. And most of them were children.

[Sonja]

I never put two and two together. The Laura Ingalls, Long Winter, and the 1888 blizzard. The more you know...

[MissSusie]

This was a good telling of this story, it's still a very sad story but I think kids will get a lot out of this story especially here in North Dakota.

I actually only recently found out one of my great grandfathers was caught in this storm, was saved but later died from complications from that night.

This is a story I wish I knew when I was younger and I think this will be another popular what was book.

Very well narrated by Cynthia Farrell!


I received this audiobook from the publisher PRHAudio for a fair and honest review.

[Arjun Manoj]

This calamity won't be forgotten!

[Anna Cavallo]

This book tells the tragic story of the children's blizzard in 1888 for which the people were in every sense, unprepared way.

It highlights why weather forecasts are both useful and valuable, brings to light the difficult decisions that were made that fateful day, and shares the stories both of survivors, and those who were far less fortunate.

I highly recommended it!!!

[Becky]

First sentence: January 12, 1888, started out as an unusually warm and sunny winter day in much of the central and midwestern parts of the United States. This area was known as the Great Plains.

Premise/plot: This nonfiction book for young readers answers the question, What was the Children's Blizzard of 1888. It is part of the WhoHQ series of books. This book focuses--though not narrowly--on an event. It provides different "snapshots" of what happened. There are small stories--vignettes--from many different people chronicling their experiences. This was a big-interest news story back in the day, and these stories were captured in newspapers--many, many from all across the country. There are happier stories and sadder stories.

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed reading this one. I always have had a big interest in history. This is a good introduction to the Children's Blizzard of 1888. There are plenty of books on this event/subject. (Though many are for adult readers.) Some nonfiction. Some fiction. Many if not most are fascinating and haunting.

IF kids enjoy the I Survived series--which are mostly historical--then I see this one could having great appeal to the same audience.

I mentioned earlier that the focus wasn't narrow. I haven't decided if that's good or bad. This one pulls in a LOT of what might pass as "context" if you are kind or "filler" if you are mean. I have to remember that it is written for young kids and it assumes no previous knowledge of American history. This makes sense when talking about weather forecasts especially. I'm going to guess that most kids haven't wondered HOW weather was forecast/predicted a 140+ years ago. It is so ordinary, so common place, to have MANY ways to get alerts about bad weather. The book could have perhaps gone into more when it comes to early meteorology. But some places felt a little history-dumping of more general knowledge that didn't really directly connect to the story. (Indirectly yes.)

[PixieART]

I saw other books about the Children's Blizzard but knowing nothing about the event I thought I'd start here.
The "What was" series is great at covering the subject. It explains it in a easy way to understand and covers all the who, why, what , when and where's. It explains about the technology of the time,the history of the area and the state of America at the time. It describes how they tractor reported on the weather. How the news traveled. And also what happens to a person in a strong blizzard like this. All these important details pain a paint a clear picture of this tragedy. Poor people and their children who didn't stand a chance against the massive storm. And the brave people who had to make split second life and death decisions.

[Lauren]

As a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan, I was interested to learn more about the blizzard she described in "The Long Winter." "Who Was/What was" books are very popular with the elementary crowd, so I wanted to read at least one to see what the fuss was about. I enjoyed the historical photographs and the chapters are short and easy to read. While the goriest details are left out, this book does cover people dying of frostbite and succumbing to their injuries after the storm. The timelines at the end of events discussed in the book as well as other things happening in society help kids to grasp a bit of perspective. Interesting and well-done!

[David Rough]

This book written for young readers highlighted an event that I had never heard of growing up. I have read the Laura Engles Wilder books on the hard winters of the prairies, but I was not aware of this freaky blizzard that claimed the lives of so many. I am currently reading a more detailed book of this historical event. This historical account for young readers is filled with tragic accounts of loss and miraculous reports of survival. I found it intriguing, sorrowful, and amazing all at the same time.

[Alicia]

A chaotic mess of a blizzard that almost came out of no where stranding many children either in school or walking home from school. Teachers made decisions to either hunker down overnight or walk their kids home who became heroes in their Great Plains area. The blizzard is only accounts for a bit of the story because the larger story was the settling of the area and the history of settlements as people moved west-- from locusts and the Indigenous to trains and survival in sod houses.

It paints a picture of that era in time.

[Goddess of Chaos]

“The Worst Storm in the Memory of the Oldest Inhabitant of the Northwest.”

This book tells the tragic story of a blizzard in 1888 for which the people were, in every sense, unprepared.

It highlights why weather forecasts are both useful and valuable, brings to light the difficult decisions that were made that fateful day, and shares the stories both of survivors, and those who were far less fortunate.

[Miz Lizzie]

Though highly repetitive this is an informative and exciting overview of a historic event that is put in context of the times and its after-effects. The inclusion of period photographs supplements the text and the bibliography includes books for young readers should they want to learn more.

Book Pairings:
This and other books in the series could be good ones to recommend to young fans of the I Survived ... series.

[Viktoria Cox]

Yes, I am reading a lot of juvenile NonFiction these days. The WhoHQ series makes it interesting and easy. I had not heard of the Children’s Blizzard prior to this book. Reading it was very informative and I was glad the author referenced Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Long Winter to differentiate between stormy winters on the Great Plains. Educational and interesting book.

[Amy Hesterman]

Just looking at the cover makes you hear the wind howl and the temps drop significantly. A perfect non-fiction companion to Lauren Tarshis's I Survived the Children's Blizzard of 1888. 16 pages of photos in the middle of the book carry the weight of this event even further for kids and adults.

[Michelle ☕️]

Stumbled across this children’s book at the library; the title caught my eye. I had never heard of “The Children’s Blizzard” and was curious. Turns out, I was familiar with this historic snow storm… This is the same blizzard Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about in “The Long Winter.”

[Hailey Vittrup]

The 5-star review is for the thorough account of the tragedy that will be remembered once again tomorrow on its anniversary. The Children’s Blizzard of 1888 is horribly sad, but Steve Korte, the author of this account, did a great job. It paid homage to heroes and revealed harsh truths.

[Alex]

I love this series.

[Brittney Ribbeck]

3.5

[Ranee]

3.5 stars rounded up. Such a tragic time! I appreciated the stories. Stars docked for some repeats of info in different parts. I liked the pictures of the time period.

[Fiona]

Informative

[Scott Hayden]

Frightening event!

To think that weather can change so drastically, so fast.

[Nicole Stanton]

I wasn’t aware of this part of US history until this short read.

[Natalie]

I knew nothing of this event. It wasn’t taught in California school. Such a sad thing to happen. I’m so glad to have learned about it.

[Krys]

4.5 stars

[Connie]

I found this book at my public library. I had read The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin a few years ago. This little children’s book gave a very good account of this sad day.

[Drew Fluharty]

Pretty good!

[Liz]

I give this book 4.5 stars. I loved how the author described the event. I just wish that there was more.

[Emma]

That would have been crazy and scary for a storm like that to come out of the blue while enjoying spring-like weather.

[Kristi Clemow]

Very interesting - a little dark for kids (lots of deaths) but tastefully done.

[Anna]

This book tells the tragic story of the children's blizzard in 1888 in which the people were in every sense unprepared.

It highlights why weather forecasts are both useful and valuable, brings to light the difficult decisions that were made that fateful day, and shares the stories both of survivors, and those who were far less fortunate.

I highly recommended it!!!