Earthquake Terror
 | |
| Author | Peg Kehret |
|---|---|
Earthquake Terror is one of Peg Kehret's most popular books. It tells the tale of how a boy named Jonathan has to help his crippled six-year-old sister Abby, during an earthquake while their parents are at a hospital. An excerpt of Earthquake Terror is currently used in the fifth grade language arts book by Houghton Mifflin in California [1].
Plot
The Palmer family are going on a trip to the Magpie Islands. During their trip, Mrs. Palmer breaks her ankle and has to leave with Mr. Palmer to go to the hospital in Beaverville, California. They make the decision to leave the kids by themselves. Jonathan and Abby are by themselves when Moose, their dog, starts barking frantically, trying to get Jonathan and Abby's attention. The ground starts rumbling and shaking. Then it starts to pour with rain on them. For Abby, the situation is difficult because of an accident when she was two years old which left her legs partially paralyzed. She uses her walker during the day, and she usually crawls at night. Jonathan and Abby are frightened, but Jonathan tells Abby to not worry and that everything is going to be all right. Abby is distressed, but she tries to calm herself by singing some songs that she knows. The earthquake stops, but the water is very high and there are trees down. The kids get on trees so they can stay afloat on the river. Jonathan and Abby then go down the river to see if they can get to shore.