Volcanos are most often referenced in terms of their power of destruction. Here, author Elizabeth Rusch chronicles their presence as a creative force on earth. In an engaging informational narrative graced with bursts of onomatopoeia, she explores how slow flows from volcanos add to the land above and beneath the sea. Volcanos "grow taller and wider. They form majestic mountains. And they build new islands where there were none before." The primary narrative is accompanied by additional information on each page spread providing specific examples of places where volcanos have and continue to add to land mass on earth. A "Volcano Vocabularly" and selected bibliography round out a volume featuring bold collage illustrations. (Ages 6-9)

Volcanoes are a scary, catastrophic phenomenon that creates mass destruction as far as its deadly lava can reach, right? Not quite . . . Elizabeth Rusch explores volcanoes in their entirety, explaining how they?re not all as bad as they?re made out to be. Using examples of real volcanoes from around the world, Rusch explains how some volcanoes create new land, mountains, and islands where none existed before, and how the ash helps farmers fertilize their fields. Simple, straight-forward prose provides readers with the basics, while a secondary layer of text delves deeper into the science of volcanoes. Susan Swan?s bright and explosive mixed-media illustrations perfectly complement the subject matter?they depict volcanoes in all their destructive and creative glory. Complete with a glossary and list of further resources, VOLCANO RISING is a unique look at a fierce, yet valuable, scientific process.