The Seismic Seven

by Katie Slivensky

This action-packed, science-infused adventure from the critically acclaimed author of The Countdown Conspiracy follows a group of seven kids racing to save the world from a deadly supervolcano. Perfect for fans of Chris Grabenstein and Peter Lerangis.

Brianna Dobson has been chosen to work with world-renowned geologist Dr. Grier in Yellowstone National Park for the summer, and she couldn’t be more excited!

But then Dr. Grier tells her and the other kids on the project the real reason she’s invited them to Yellowstone: A massive supervolcano in the park is about to erupt—and if they can’t stop it, Earth will be plunged into an endless winter, and civilization will be destroyed.

Bri and her new friends are ready and willing to help stop the eruption, but unexpected dangers threaten to foil their efforts. Will the Seismic Seven be able to defy nature and save the world?

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Adventure, Action, Fiction, Juvenile, Survival

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2018

About the author

Katie Slivensky is the critically acclaimed author of middle grade sci-fi adventures, The Countdown Conspiracy and The Seismic Seven (HarperCollins Childrens), as well as an upcoming picture book based on natural history, THIS WOLF WAS DIFFERENT with illustrator Hannah Salyer (Beach Lane Books, 2024), and a middle grade non-fiction book that focuses on physics, SMALLER: The Search for Subatomic Particles (Algonquin Young Readers, 2024). She is a professional science educator and enthusiast who has worked in zoos and museums since age 11. Her love of learning has resulted in a lifetime of adventures, including helping separate fighting rhinos, falling down a cliff in search of fossils, flying an astronaut through the solar system (the astronaut was real, the solar system was a simulation), nursing a stranded baby mouse back to health, creating million-volt lightning bolts while standing just an inch away, and handling feisty alligators. She is a firm believer that science and adventure are for everyone, and that kids have a lot to teach adults about how to save the world.

Katie grew up in Michigan and currently lives just outside Boston with her family, including her dear cat Darwin. She has science degrees from the University of Michigan and Stony Brook University. She is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear. This is barely three stars for me. I can't honestly say that I liked it. The chief feeling I had while reading it was one of annoyance. It could have been so good! I think the author had a great idea, and her heart was in the right place. There are things to celebrate. I love the idea of kids using science to save the world. The setting certainly allowed for lots of adventure and excitement. I appreciated the cast of diverse characters from different backgrounds working together, underprivileged children, children from broken homes, even a character with a prosthetic leg (who is most definitely not to be pitied and contributes much to the team). We even have strong female scientists.

However, I felt it didn't deliver. The tone was uneven and I was kind of surprised at some of the dark aspects as it didn't seem like it was going to be that type of book. (Okay, I know it's about an apocalyptic event, not like I expected it to be all peachy keen. But the villain is just really, really bad and some pretty sad and disturbing things happen--nothing more than in, say, Harry Potter, but maybe it's just the way it was delivered that bothered me.) I never really connected with any of the characters and didn't feel emotionally invested. It was more science-fiction than science-fact. And some illustrations would have really helped me grasp all the complexities of drilling the different tunnels and such--I admit to zoning out and skimming a few times because it was confusing and thus boring to me.

I also felt that the author laid some pretty harsh information about climate change, species extinction, etc. on children's laps without really providing them any concrete tools for how to go about changing that in the real world. The Author's Note was like some good fairy blowing in after the dust has settled from all the wicked witch's destruction and saying, hey, don't worry, the Yellowstone supervolcano won't really go off so that's no biggie and if we work together we can make the world a better place. But when your books says things like "the turning point for climate change has long since past: this is the end" or "85% of species will be lost by 2045" I really think you need to give children more guidance than "work together and make the world a better place." Either make this an environmentalist book or don't. And if you're going there, please give readers some concrete ideas of what they can do right now, in their daily lives, even if they are doing it alone, that will help the planet.

My other issues with the book are all spoilers so I won't elaborate.

[Qt · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this was probably more of a two-star book, but there were some interesting ideas and a couple of twists I didn't see coming, and maybe I just wasn't the right audience for it, so I'm going with three stars. I never connected to any of the characters and had a hard time following the "scientific" aspects of it.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun roller coaster from Katie Slivensky!! Both of her books would make excellent movies. I love that she pushes the plot to the extreme, and the solutions aren’t simple. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I definitely recommend both of her books.
The only negative- a few swears and a bunch of religious exclamations. Neither enhance the writing or story.

[Drew hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is actually crazy! Not what I was expecting, and exactly what I needed. Magic tree house vibe but with like guns and forced child labor? And then all in Yellowstone located in the fricking caldera? Erm….yaaaaaaa

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad Slivensky is giving us more science fiction to love and read. Another heart stopper, suspenseful, action packed book!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts out as a standard "going to do something interesting during Summer Vacation" book with a bunch of misfits but ends up as a Saving the World book. I don't know that much about vulcanology, or the Yosemite supervolcano, but with Mount Kilauea erupting this is a timely topic. Because this is one of the "save the world" books, there are times when belief must be suspended and, as a result, the characters don't really change or grow (a couple do, but certainly not all of the seven - and the adults are pretty caricatured throughout). How accurate the science is I'll leave to experts.

ARC provided by publisher.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did end up pulling me in and making me want to finish even though I wasn’t sure if I would at first.

However, a couple notes:

— the science gets really confusing in some places and what they were doing was hard to picture.

— a couple characters sometimes spoke in Spanish but there were no translations in the book. That was slightly frustrating.

Over all: good book! Fun times.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I suspect that middle grade and middle school students will find this science filled adventure engaging. I found the major plot points hard to accept and the character development of the kids a bit flat.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bri and 3 other kids have been selected for a special summer program at Yellowstone Park with a premier geologist. But after they say goodbye to their parents and get to the park they find out they've actually be recruited to help stop the eruption of the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone. Soon their days are filled with drilling a shaft to help release just enough pressure to diffuse the volcano. But there's more going on than Bri or the other kids have any clue about.

This has all the makings of a B scifi disaster movie. There are twists and turns, secrets upon secrets, and an end of the world scenario building to a huge climax that puts everyone's lives at serious risk. Because it is a middle grade novel and not a movie aimed at adults, the survival rate is quite a bit better than average for a disaster story but there's a bit more death and serious injuries than an average middle grade novel. I started to feel like maybe there were too many plot twists, and I felt like the solution had some holes If water from the lake would stop the volcano shouldn't water hit the magma as soon as there's a crack in the earth over the magma...the water table is between the surface and the magma so they shouldn't need pumps...and we know the water table is spread out pretty well, that's why Yellowstone is full of geysers and mud pots and hot springs. I did like that the author clarified in the back of the book the set up for this story is completely made up and the supervolcano under Yellowstone is super stable right now. Kids looking for a high action, twisty-turny adventure with kids racing the clock to save the world from a natural disaster should enjoy this.

Notes on content: 6 mild swear words and it is mentioned they swear worse things but it isn't written or hinted what they say. No sexual content. There's some serious child endangerment going on with the kids working drills underground. There are some fatalities mentioned but not shown, a couple serious injuries mentioned but not described in graphic detail. Kidnapping and child slavery are part of the story.

[Michelle Arredondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have two boys. A 6 year old and a 10 year old. The 10 year old struggles to read and because of that does not look forward to reading time. Being that I am an avid book reader I always seek out interesting books for him to read so that he will want to dive into a story and enjoy it without feeling like it's work to do so. The Seismic Seven was a recommendation...and from the cover I knew it looked like just the thing that he would be interested in. Reading other reviews...reading the blurb...another indicator. I got the book....and it was a success not just for the 10 year old but most especially for the 6 year old.

The Seismic Seven follows several kids that are a part of a summer program led by prominent geologist Dr. Samantha Grier in Yellow Stone that they won a contest for or so they thought. More than just some fun program for kids to do in the summer months...turns out they are a part of a major event..or rather they are chosen to help stop this major event...a volcano eruption that will create massive destruction to the Earth. Sounds a little far fetched...kids helping to stop a volcano, right?! I mean why not actual certified professional adults, right??! But what would be the fun in that..and why would kids want to read about adults solving and fixing things when they can read about other kids doing great and miraculous things. That's of course the intrigue for my kids...surely the same for others. My kids had a lot of fun listening to this tale. I had a lot of fun reading it to them. It's a book I will be rereading to them over again in the near future I'm sure.

Highly recommend.

Thanks as always to the wonderful people of goodreads, Katie Slivesky, and to Harper Collins for my free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another page turner by Katie Slivensky! (Disclaimer, I went to HS with the author but haven't really spoken to her since so I like to think I'm pretty unbiased in this review). As with her debut novel, I love that the protagonist is a girl interested in science (note: That does NOT make this a "girl" book - all kids will enjoy it). The plot is such a roller coaster - there are so many plot twists - it really keeps you reading and on your toes. As an adult reader, I was a bit incredulous but kids will really enjoy the different developments. I loved the setting (Yellowstone) and the idea behind it - a super volcano's threat to civilization. The science is a bit stretched (which Katie addresses in the author's note) and there are some terms that may be over some readers' heads but there is a glossary in the book as well. I can't wait to put this in the hands of some kids!

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so this book starts a little slow and hokey. Buttttt that's because it's supposed to. Little things are stressed because later they become the big things. Dialogue and interactions are just a little bit off because they're supposed to be. I enjoyed this book because, though its plotline makes me rethink everything I know about Yellowstone and plate tectonics, it's just THAT creative. This author took a story about a research project and turned it into an action and science adventure. Would definitely recommend for middle and high schoolers. It's somewhat funny while being unpredictable and interesting. It made me power through in a night, and I enjoyed the plot and the characters. I thought I knew trauma bonding, but.... these kids are such great characters and heroes and I love the relationships they built.

[Brandi Nyborg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a giveaway. This is a book I really think middle grade readers are going to enjoy. It’s a good action packed thrill ride, filled with plenty of interesting scientific information. There were a variety of characters, but they’re fleshed out well enough that they’re easy to keep track of. I really appreciate the author having the characters act and talk like kids would. It brings a lot more believability to them. My only issue were at times it was a little too wordy and I found myself skimming to speed things along. Once the story picked up, I flew through it. Anyone interested in volcanoes, geology, or a good disaster book will enjoy this.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Talk about twists! This book is a serious rollercoaster ride! Bri is one of 4 teens picked to spend the summer in Yellowstone working with a famous scientist there. But as soon as she gets there, she finds that things are not as original described. Instead, they are going to be living and working underground in a series of caves, tunneling close to the supervolcano that lies dormant under Yellowstone. Recent seismic activity, including a devastating earthquake in Los Angeles, has lead them to believe that an eruption is imminent. It will be up to these four kids, along with three others that they meet on site, to figure out how to save the world. Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

These 5 kids thought they had won a contest giving them a summer in Yellowstone park. When they they get there, they find out they've been picked for a completely different reason.I
This book is well researched with all the volcanic information. It was all sorts action going on. I think it's geared towards a younger audience, probably graded 4-6. I think it was interesting with many twists and turns. The plotline was well developed. The group of characters were an interesting group of diverse, smart, 13 year old kids.
All in all, I believe this was a pretty good read.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I win this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway and I haven't read anything else by the author. I'd also point out that I'm not in the target demographic.

This book is a solid 3.5 with likeable heroes and villains you will dislike (at least). the science is a little shakeup but that is explained in the author's note. at times it is a little frustrating with how naive the characters are and of course, like so many books aimed at this age group, adults are the bad guys. all of this is forgivable when dealing with the target demographic.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, why do editors (or publishers or whoever makes these decisions) ever put glossaries at the end of a book? You finish the whole book, guessing as best you can for a few terms, and when you finally finish, voila! A glossary appears, now that it is no longer needed! Think about it and put the glossary first!

For the author, however, high accolades! Well done! Write more books!

This one is not for the faint of heart. Heart pounding intensity. And lots of cool science.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will sweep you along - the action never ends! And kids who appreciate a writer who really thinks about the details underlying her science will love anything Katie Slivensky writes.

I'm sad that there's not a companion book to follow this one (yet) because I really got attached to the characters. Their dialogue is wonderful. May I share?:

"Listen, he clearly is here to train his ferrets to fight in the apocalypse in case we fail," Kenzie replies. "He's the Ferret Whisperer. Don't question his purpose."

Ah.

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. Riveting and page-turning. I loved the cast of characters and their personalities. This was fun, humorous, suspenseful, had me sitting on the edge of my seat, sneaky, there's plenty of action, tense moments, twists and turns, and a good ending. I would definitely like to read more and see if this great group can and will do more. I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author. It pulled me in and wouldn't let me go until I reached the end of the book. It also left more wanting to read more. Totally enjoy!

[Katie Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of action and adventure in this story set in Yellowstone National Park as a group of kids come together to prevent a supervolcano from erupting. Full of plot twists and turns, this middle grade book is also packed with scientific information and an important message about preserving the environment.

Thanks to author Katie Slivensky for providing our #bookexpedition group an ARC for early review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway
It was hard to get into it in the beginning but i think that is just because it has been a while that i was a teen so younger readers would like it better. i will say i love the twist and turns the story takes. i really got into it when they finally stated to work and it was good from then on.

[Erin Cashman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Seismic Seven is another thrilling, heart-pounding, adventure by Katie Slivensky! I loved so much about this book - the great characters, the high stakes (yikes! A supervolcanic eruption!), the twists, and especially the environmental issues that Slivensky addresses. Not only is this book highly entertaining, I learned so much - an added bonus! I highly recommend this wonderful book!

[Sandra Crane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Thank you Goodreads Giveaway for this book. This book was filled with adventure and action. It had a great plot and lots of scientific information. Can't wait to share this book with my granddaughter.

[luckilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was super good!! I will say it had lots of scientific language that I needed to flip to the back of the book real quick to realize what’s going on, but with the nature of the book you kind of have to expect that. I ended up loving all of the characters and the plot twists were crazy!!

[Laena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good! I thought that there were a lot of fun plot twists, and she did a good job explaining all of the science. I’m not normally a huge fan of science fiction, but this one was pretty good!

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of science-y fun!

[Susan Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant children chosen to save the world from the super volcano in Yellowstone find themselves in a battle between good and evil.

[Phaea Crede · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twists! The turns! The science! THE MAGMA!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book

[Patricia Kaniasty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exciting. Lots of action. Great second book in series.