Murphy, Jim. 2000. Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590673092
In Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America, Murphy presents a social history type informational book for children about the blizzard of 1888 that affected the northeastern United States. Unusually mild weather was experienced in March of 1888 and weather forecasting equipment to predict the approaching storm did not exist. The mild weather misled millions of people into celebrating the beautiful weather outdoors.
Murphy has a reputation for providing factual social history informational books to children and has excellent credentials. Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America, received positive reviews by knowledgeable reviewers. The sources used to create this book are cited and only facts from the event are provided. The Illustrations and photos match the text throughout.
The organization is in an easy to follow layout. The book begins with the beautiful weather experienced prior to the blizzard, the blizzard hitting the northeast, the resulting loss of life and property after the storm ended, and ending with the changes that were made to help prevent tragedies similar to this from happening again. Reference aids including a table of contents and index are available.
The design is very attractive and inviting for those who are curious about this horrible disaster that affected so many. The illustrations and photographs compliment the text and help provide the reader with an image of what people experienced during the blizzard. The style is lively and interesting, encourages curiosity, and encourages further reading. Murphy provides just enough information about the blizzard of 1888 and demonstrates his passion for writing throughout.
The blizzard of 1888 really did change America and Murphy explains how in the final chapter. In 1888, the streets of New York were cluttered with garbage, trash cans, and other debris. The streets were also covered by a canopy of electrical wires that hung from above. The blizzard created a disaster with debris flying through the streets and the weight of the snow caused the wires to dangle dangerously close to the streets. These factors, along with several feet of snow caused transportation to come to a complete halt. Getting legislation passed to help prevent events such as this from happening was very difficult, "but the blizzard had fostered in the public a mood for change." Because of this blizzard, the subway system was created, electrical wires were placed underground, and sidewalks were required to remain free of debris. "By 1894, all wires in New York City had been banished underground, and other cities - including Washington, D.C.; Boston; Albany; and Buffalo, to name a few - followed its example." This is a very interesting and educational read and will be very much appreciated by those who love to read about historical events.
Awards and Honors for Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America include: Robert F. Sibert nominee for Outstanding Nonfiction, The Jefferson Cup Award, ALA Notable Book, and ALA Best Books for Young People.
If you enjoy this title, you may also enjoy these other titles by Jim Murphy: The Great Fire, The Long Road to Gettysburg, and The Crossing: How George Washington Saved the American Revolution.
Booklist
"Like Murphy's award-winning " The Great Fire" (1995), this is an example of stellar nonfiction. The haunting jacket illustration grabs attention, and the dramatic power of the splendid narrative, coupled with carefully selected anecdotes, newspaper accounts, and vintage and contemporary photos, will keep the pages turning."
School Library Journal
"Authentic photographs, drawings, and maps that demonstrate the course of the storm, all done in the same sepia tone as the text, perfectly illustrate the book. Overall, a superb piece of writing and history."
Further activities for Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America can be found at:
http://www.teachertreasures.com/uploads/weather_tt.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/thismonth/weather/index1.html
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/blizzard-lesson-plan
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