Francis the Earthquake Dog by Judith Ross Enderle and Stephanie Gordon Tessler

Illustrated by Brooke Scudder.32 p., Chronicle, 1996. When there's a natural disaster, it's important for kids to know that someone will always take care of them. In this story, set in San Francisco in 1906, Edward, the son of a widowed chef at the St. Francis Hotel, adopts a lost dog. He keeps the dog in the hotel cellar while he helps his father at work, but the dog escapes and can't be found. Edward worries about the dog. That night, there is a major earthquake. Edward and his Papa run outside, and ultimately to Golden Gate Park, where they camp with others. Papa cooks for the camp, and with others, he and Edward help to repair the damage from the earthquake. Edward misses the dog. When Papa worries about their future, Edward reminds him that they still have each other. While helping to rebuild the city, Edward and Papa haul rubble awy from the St. Francis Hotel, where they discover, and dig out, the dog - who finally becomes part of their family. Afterwords for children explain the nature of earthquakes and give advice for earthquake safety. With its charming, vividly colored illustrations, this story reassures children that they can cope with even a major disaster. Ages 5-8