Green City: How One Community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt for a Sustainable Future (Green Power #2)

Gr 1-5—On May 4, 2007, a treacherous tornado destroyed Greensburg, KS, "in nine-minutes flat." Eleven people died; the school, "hospital, nine churches, the water tower, the drugstore with its soda fountain, the grocery store, the two hotels, the three banks, the theater, and everything else—just gone." President George W. Bush declared Greensburg a national disaster area, and volunteers and donations arrived from all over. The inhabitants decided to rebuild: to make a tornado-proof town and to make it green. They designed models of homes with rounded walls, wood-paneled geodesic domes, and super-insulation. While many chose to relocate, the 800 residents who stayed are now proud to live in "America's Green City." The narrator, a boy in a red T-shirt, jeans, and a green baseball cap, tells the story in an engaging, accessible voice. Speech bubbles add drama and other townspeople's points of view; three denser sidebars provide more information. Drummond's ink-and-watercolor illustrations bustle with detail and activity. Some are full spreads, many are horizontal or vertical panels. An author's note explains that while Drummond was working on this book, a fire devastated his home, causing him and his family to suddenly face the same challenges as the denizens of Greensburg. Happily, they now live in "a house built for the future." VERDICT An inspiring read-aloud for units on natural disasters or for Earth Day.—Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"The narrator, a boy in a red T-shirt, jeans, and a green baseball cap, tells the story in an engaging, accessible voice . . . Drummond's ink-and-watercolor illustrations bustle with detail and activity. Some are full spreads, many are horizontal or vertical panels. An author's note explains that while Drummond was working on this book, a fire devastated his home, causing him and his family to suddenly face the same challenges as the denizens of Greensburg. Happily, they now live in 'a house built for the future.' An inspiring read-aloud for units on natural disasters or for Earth Day." —School Library Journal, starred review

"Smartly laid out with both vertical and horizontal frames that contain small amounts of text, the book allows beginning readers to process the steps in planning and execution while giving them plenty of visual clues for potentially unfamiliar vocabulary. Watercolor illustrations—a vibrant blend of vignettes, full-page art, and double- page spreads—showing the clean-up, planning, and construction reflect the can- do attitude of Greensburg . . . This book is a triumph of both community action and scientific writing." —The Horn Book, starred review

"Without being too technical, [Drummond] weaves in solid information about energy efficiency and sustainability . . . Designed to be a companion to the author/illustrator's Energy Island, this will be equally welcomed in school and public libraries." —Kirkus Reviews