Rescues! by Sandra Markle #16

Markle, Sandra. (2006). Rescues! Minneapolis: Millbrook Express.

Book Type: Informative, (survey)

Grades: 4 - 7

Curriculum Link: Science

Author Credibility: Sandra Markle is a former science teacher and the author of many award winning books. She had her own frightening experience while observing penguins in Antarctica. When a terrible storm struck the area they were in, she and two other scientists had to be rescued. Having gone through her own life and death situation, she wanted to write a book about other rescue stories all over the world. In her book, she cites the telephone interviews with survivors, books about disasters, websites that list information about hurricanes and search dogs, newspaper articles about each of the rescue stories, and other related websites.

Awards: 2006 Children’s Choices Award

Summary:
This is an informative book that describes real life situations that have occurred all over the world. It discusses each story and how the technology and people work together to save lives. Some of the rescue stories mentioned includes nine miners trapped underground, a baby in a burning house, and mountain climbers stranded by a storm. This book is packed with vocabulary and facts about the technology used in each of the rescue stories. Engaging photographs of the people and technology involved and an afterward about each survivor makes this book an exciting and “edge of your seat” read.

Standards: Science and Technology

Illustrations: Full page photographs that document where each rescue story takes place, along with smaller photographs of the rescuers, technology, and survivors

Access Features: World map that highlights where each rescue story takes place, bottom bar or either a sidebar that briefly introduces each story, full page photograph with information on the technology used, sidebar of information about glossary terms, table of contents, glossary, source notes, bibliography, index, websites, other books to read

Classroom Use: This book could be used to discuss how science and technology have saved lives. Students could compare and contrast technology that we have now to what was used in the past.

Response: This was an exciting read! I had actually heard about some of the rescue stories in this book from the news and magazines. I really liked how the author broke each story down to discuss the technology used, how the rescuers worked together, and how each survivor is currently doing. It was a very up-to-date read!

Related Texts:
Rescues at Sea with the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards by Lewis Lyons
Hurricanes by D.M. Souza

Other Texts by Author:
Can You Believe: Hurricanes
Can You Believe: Amazing Earth: Earthquakes
Can You Believe: Powerful Waves