Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America - Non-fiction

The blizzard of 1888 was not the worst storm in history, but it was the best documented one to that time. "Blizzard! The Storm that Changed America" by Jim Murphy is a non-fiction account of the March 1888 blizzard that slammed New York City and the east coast. This book uses a wealth of original source materials to relate the details of the storm and the stories of the people affected by them. It is illustrated with actual photos as well as drawings and stories from the New York newspapers. In addition to information about the storm, Murphy also includes many details of what life was like in 1888.

I like that Murphy follows different people through the events of the storm, some with tragic outcomes and others who have miraculous tales of survival. For example, he tells of a farmer, Sam Randall, who dies 30 feet from his front door while returning from attending to his animals. Murphy also relates the story of Gurdon Chapell, 9 years old, and his brother Legrand who is 4. These two boys, unbeknownst to their family, set out for their grandparents' house and are lost in the storm. Their absence is not discovered until the following day but, against all odds, they are found alive, huddled in a cave of snow.

Murphy also discusses how this storm changed public works and individual responsibilities in times of crisis. After the storm, cities began making emergency plans and having the workers to carry out these plans. Because of downed electrical and telephone lines these lines were required to be buried while the inability of workers to get to their jobs during this storm was a huge factor in the building of the subway system.

Middle school students would find this book interesting; probably more boys would be interested than girls due to the fact that boys tend to gravitate toward non-fiction. It is a slim book, but it is not an easy reader. There is a lot of information and although the events are chronological, it moves from person to person which may cause some students difficulty. This book was an ALA Best/Notable book in 2002 and it was also a starred review in Kirkus, Horn Book and the School Library Journal.

A good hook for this bok would be to introduce it to students when inclement weather is approaching, maybe when talk of a snow day is in the air. I would also read a little of a young woman who perishes after the train she is on can go no further.

"At some point, Sara ran out of strength entirely and stopped moving. Snow and ice clung to her clothes, hair and face as if she were a statue in a park. Then the icy figure toppled over backward. Her will to struggle, to push herself up and keep moving, was gone. She lay there as if she were on the softest of featherbeds.

Immediately, snow began to cover her face an body as well as the hat she had clung to throughout her ordeal. Soon, only the red feather poked through the snow, and then it, too, disappeared. The storm was only a few hours old, really, just a baby, and yet it had already claimed dozens of victims."