We Shake in a Quake by Hannah Gelman Givon

Illustrated by David Uttal.32 p., Tricycle, 2006. Earthquakes are scary, but they're more tolerable when you can talk about your feelings, understand what's happened, and feel prepared for the next one. As this story begins, a little boy wakes to an earthquake. He stays under his bed, frightened but trying to stay calm, until the shaking stops, and his parents and his friendly puppy come to him. Mom and Daddy compliment the child's behavior, and everyone in the family acknowledges how scary the earthquake was. Although there's minor damage in the house, the adults reassure the child that this isn't important, because people stayed safe. The adults make a safety plan so that everyone can be prepared for any future earthquakes. The children want to help implement it, and so they go shopping with their Mom for non-perishable food (including food for the dog), bottled water, wet wipes, and battery-operated flashlights and radio. Afterward, they store the supplies in the hall closet. When the child goes back to school, kids talk about their feelings about the earthquake, the class practices "drop and cover" drills, and their teacher explains the geology of earthquakes. The child also copes with distressed feelings by drawing angry pictures and creating his own, controllable, earthquakes with toy block buildings. The book includes a glossary of earthquake-related words and an afterword on earthquake preparedness. With its energetic rhymes and Dr. Seuss-inspired watercolor illustrations, this story addresses both the practical and the emotional aspects of earthquakes in an accessible, child-friendly way. Ages 4-8