The nonfiction picture book Volcanoes by Franklyn M. Branley (illustrated by Megan Lloyd; Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out book, Level 2; published 1985/reissued 2008) starts by telling the story of a few famous volcanoes, including Mount Tambora, Mount Vesuvius, and Mount Saint Helens. These very real stories immediately draw in the reader to the subject.
Subsequent pages cover the basic about volcano formation, including how scientists predicted eruptions (such as with Mount Saint Helens). Even with the real stories of volcanoes, the potentially scary subject of volcanoes is approached with awe and wonder, giving the basic information about the layers of our earth and plate tectonics. Various types of volcanoes, including those developing in the ocean, are also described. The illustrations complement the text. Volcanoes and tectonic plates are labeled with arrows to show where pressure builds underground, and a map of the ring of fire shows the general locations of many of the world’s volcanoes.
