This is a very informative, readable look into an event that many teens may never have heard of. The formatting and detailed graphics make it compelling for more reluctant readers. It's also appropriate for adults who enjoy non-fiction but steer away from heftier tomes. The science is quite in-depth, so even those with some background knowledge will learn something new.

Sensitive types will find the ending satisfying and maybe hopeful and will enjoy the survivors' accounts sprinkled throughout. Those wishing to learn more will find the bibliography helpful.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I had heard about this disaster, but this book was very informative. I would not recommend it to kids, but as an adult I enjoyed reading it.

Published :
February 9, 2021
From the publishers:
Deirdre Langeland's Meltdown explores for middle grade readers the harrowing story of the deadly earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown that caused the 2011 Fukushima power plant disaster.

On March 11, 2011, the largest earthquake ever measured in Japan occurred off the northeast coast. It triggered a tsunami with a wall of water 128 feet high. The tsunami damaged the nuclear power plant in Fukushima triggering the nightmare scenario--a nuclear meltdown.
For six days, employees at the plant worked to contain the meltdown and disaster workers scoured the surrounding flooded area for survivors.
This book examines the science behind such a massive disaster and looks back at the people who experienced an unprecedented trifecta of destruction.
My thoughts:
Although this seems like a recent current event, I realize that 2011 for middle grade readers is the difference between being in middle school and being in preschool.

Regardless, I devoured this genre-bending/multi-genre look at the trifecta of disasters started with an earthquake off of the coast of Fukushima and ending with It has the perfect blend of understandable science, human story and science textbook style pictures that just add to the depth of this story.

What makes this non-fiction piece genre-bending is not the readability or the pictures, but the fiction tricks that Langeland uses. First, it starts with a simple Japanese woodblock inspired, red-sun rising graphic that just says "DAY 1". Each day (there are 6 of them) starts off with a date, a time and then
Reactor Status

Reactor 1: Fully operational

Reactor 2: Fully operational

Reactor 3: Fully operational

Reactor 4: Shut down for inspection

Reactor 5: Shut down for inspection

Reactor 6: Shut down for inspection

As the days go on, these reactor status reports just bring in the drama and urgency that makes this read devour worthy as things start literally "melting down." I can definitely see how this would be a great book talk for readers that prefer non-fiction, history, science, natural disasters, as well as the human factor. This is also a great discussion starter on Japanese culture and Japanese work culture evidenced by the decisions the plant managers made to stay on as well as the decisions they made since based on "disaster memory."

As the final nugget of hope in this disaster story, I appreciate the author including the little anecdote of the wind phone. It really is a beautiful gesture of peace.

*An advanced digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher and Net Galley. Accordingly, this post will come out no earlier than one month before publication.

On March 11th, 2011, life in Fukushima Prefecture (a “state” in the Japanese island of Honshu) changed forever. A magnitude 9.1 earthquake hit the region and was followed shortly afterward by a violent tsunami. These events were just the beginning of the destruction. Nature's forces destroyed nearly everything in their path- including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The title of this book- Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima- is perfectly descriptive. The book doesn’t simply focus on the horrific prospect of nuclear catastrophe. It gets deep into the science; it describes the geologic forces that cause massive earthquakes and the tsunamis that can follow. The writing is clear; it is easy to understand, but it doesn’t over-simplify these explanations. Meltdown also included a straightforward explanation of nuclear fission that helps the reader to understand the exacting science of safely generating power at a nuclear plant. It also helps the reader to appreciate the redundant safeguards that exist in case something goes wrong.

Meltdown also includes many excellent color diagrams to illustrate the difficult concepts mentioned above. The pages feature candid photographs brief glimpses into Japanese life that help readers to realize the human toll of this disaster. The story of the Great Tohoku Earthquake is told in a timeline format; each chapter looks at the events that took place as the disaster unfolded. By the end of the book, it is impossible to deny the bravery of the workers at Fukushima Daiichi and to be thankful because the nuclear disaster could have been so much worse.

Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster is an excellent example of non-fiction writing. It includes a detailed timeline, a glossary, an extensive bibliography, and an index. This book needs to be in public and school libraries as it makes sense out of a complicated series of events. Wonderful!

Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.