VOLCANO RISING by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrated by Susan Swan (Charlesbridge, 2013).

Most people think volcanoes lay dormant or destroy villages with their fiery eruptions, but in this engaging story, Rusch shows readers another powerful side to volcanoes. In a simple layer of text, she reveals how volcanoes create majestic mountains and form new land masses and islands like craftsman builders. How they slowly build under the earth’s crust, under water, and even under glaciers. How volcanic gas determines whether a volcano destroys or creates. And another more complex text delves deeper into the science of volcanoes and introduces us to eight volcanoes from around the world. Swan’s mixed media illustrations are gorgeous and play a pivotal part in the storytelling. A volcanic glossary and extensive bibliography in the back matter round out this book. For ages 6+

As a young girl, Rusch watched the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens on television and ever since, she’s been fascinated with volcanoes. Here are two more books she’s written for young readers on the topic of volcanoes: Will it Blow? Become a Volcano Detective at Mount St. Helens, illustrated by K.E. Lewis (Sasquatch Books, 2007), and Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives, photographs by Tom Uhlman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers, 2013).