Interesting read! Didnt know much about Chernobyl going in, so this was eye opening in parts. ( )

This is a short, well-researched book on the after-effects Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the former Soviet Union. It contains photos, index, source notes, author's note, bibliography, and sources for further information. She details the often dichotomous findings of scientists - wildlife is flourishing in the "dead zone;" the deleterious effects nuclear contaminants are far-reaching and long-lasting. Both are true, according to scientists. The author notes that she is amazed that most young people she meets when visiting schools have never heard of Chernobyl. This is a story that needs to be told.

http://shelf-employed.blogspot.com ( )

This non-fiction book tells about life after the nuclear disaster that occurred April 26, 1986, in the Soviet Union. If you’ve never heard of Chernobyl, you need to read this book.

ON April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl’s nuclear reactor was undergoing a test of the cooling system. The plan manager chose Reactor Number 4 and turned off many of the emergency safety systems. It takes one minute for the backup generators to come on. In one minute a nuclear reactor can overheae and explode, which is exactly what happened. The nearest city Propyat was evacuated within days. With radiation too high for humans to live, the area was sectioned off, now called The Dead Zone or Exclusion Zone. If a person receives 10,000 millisieverts of radiation in one dose, he/she will die within days or weeks. One minute of exposure to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor after the explosion was 5,000 millisieverts. It will take hundreds of years before the area is inhabitable again.

As horrific as this incident was, scientists are using it to learn about how radiation affects life. Everyone thought the trees and animals would die and the area would be completely dead. Instead, there is thick forest growth and animals--some thriving. Even a scientist from Texas Tech in Lubbock, is studying the radiation on these animals. After the nuclear reactor in Japan melted down due to the tsunami on March 11, 2011, the scientists are able to compare the two areas to establish some ideas as to radiation’s effect on all forms of life.

The scientists have many ideas, but they haven’t come to absolute conclusions. This is an interesting look at how science investigates in order to advance knowledge. Are nuclear reactors safe? Should we build more? Are they better or worse than burning fossil fuels for energy? These are important questions that your generation will face as the people of the world decide how the earth should be treated to sustain life. ( )

I've only recently discovered Rebecca Johnson's nonfiction, but I'm already definitely a fan. Most recently I reviewed When Lunch Fights Back and today I'm looking at another unique look at animal life.

The introduction shows a beautiful swallow with a surprise - it's radioactive. How could this happen to an animal? Well...the first chapter explains the history of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, explaining both the scientific and historical context. The chapter ends with a section on the long-term effect on humans in the dead zone and the creation of the Exclusion Zone around the disaster.

The next three chapters condense an extremely complicated situation, a number of species and their different reactions to the radioactive sector, and the differing opinions and theories of two groups of scientists into an admirably concise and fascinating narrative. Are animals really thriving in the dead zone? Is the radioactive area changing them for the better or worse? Can radioactive sites be reclaimed? The final chapter reflects on the lessons learned from studying Chernobyl, the part nuclear disasters continue to play in our lives, and the resilience of the animals who continue to live in these areas.

Back matter includes an author's note (primarily acknowledgements), glossary, source notes, bibliography, further information (books, websites, and videos), and index. The book is an over-sized chapter book style, which I am very happy with since it is so difficult to get older kids to check out nonfiction that looks like picture books. It's a concise 64 pages, but packs a ton of text, photographs, sidebars, and additional information into those few pages.

Verdict: This is a well-written book an a unique and interesting subject. But, it's from Lerner's Twenty-First Century Books imprint which means it's OMG EXPENSIVE. It's really, really hard to justify spending $27 on a book. It's not something timeless like Lego building either, where it makes sense to shell out extra $$ for a strong binding. This is an ongoing research project into the effect of nuclear disasters and there will undoubtedly be new titles on this subject coming out a few years down the road. So, if your budget can cover it, highly recommended. If, like me, you have a smaller budget, sigh sadly as you take it off the order cart.

ISBN: 9781467711548; Published 2014 by Twenty-First Century Books/Lerner; Borrowed from another library in my consortium (with a bigger budget); Still holding on a backlist of ordering because I really, really loved it, but will probably not purchase.

library copy ( )