Books in Code Red series

Early March 28, 1979, Craig Faust and Ed Frederick were checking Reactor Number Two at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant when a warning alarm sounded, alerting them to a radiation leak. Later, a construction worker spotted an ominous water puddle in Reactor Two, a sign that something was terribly wrong. In gripping narrative detail, Emergency at Three Mile Island chronicles the worst nuclear disaster in U.S. history. Readers will go inside the power plant to discover what went wrong as they meet the people who worked to contain the meltdown. Kids will hear how the community was affected, and learn how new government regulations help prevent future disasters. Emphasizing the human drama, a "Profiles" section lists people related to this nuclear tragedy.

In a fiery flash, a low-flying plane crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Moments later, another passenger jet explodes into the South Tower as part of a horrific terrorist attack on U.S. soil. The 2001 World Trade Center Attack recounts the September 11, 2001 tragedy through the harrowing stories of those who braved the attack. Kids will meet Captain Jay Jonas and firefighters from Ladder Company 6 in New York. They'll also meet Chief Pitch, from a separate rescue crew, who teamed with Jonas to carry trapped victims to safety. Candid, on-the-scene photos and quotes from primary sources reveal terrifying first-person accounts of the day's tragic events. Emphasizing the human drama, a "Profiles" section lists people related to this historic tragedy.

As factory workers prepared to go home after a long day at the Triangle Waist Company, Eva Harris suddenly cried out "fire!" Smoking flames near a fabric cutting table jumped to overflowing bins of cloth scraps, soon igniting the factory. Trying to escape the flames, many panicked workers jumped to their deaths as firefighters raced to the scene. In The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, kids will read about one of the worst factory fires in U.S. history through the narratives of those who experienced the March 1911 tragedy. Readers will discover what caused the fire, and learn how new safety regulations and procedures help prevent such deadly tragedies today. A series of primary-source quotes from witnesses reveal the human drama, while a "Profiles" section lists people related to the fire.

Mary Fales woke suddenly to discover a strange glow lighting the night sky. Dry winds were spreading flames toward her house. She and her husband David needed to move fast to escape the spreading fire. In The Great Chicago Fire, readers will meet many people like Mary and her husband who suddenly fled when a small barn fire ignited into one of the greatest urban disasters in U.S. history. In narrative detail, kids will see how firefighters fought desperately to contain the blaze as businesses and homes burned to cinders. Despite efforts of rescuers and citizens, it took a cold rain to finally extinguish the flames. A series of primary-source quotes from actual survivors reveal the human drama, while a "Profiles" section lists key players in fighting the fire.

On the cold morning of January 28, 1986, onlookers watched as the space shuttle Challenger prepared for lift-off. Commander Francis "Dick" Scobee and his crew kept NASA appraised of all systems as the Challenger ascended skyward in a great charge of power. Suddenly, horrifically, the Challenger burst into a fiery ball, killing all crew members. The Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion narrates one of the worst disasters in NASA history. Young readers will meet the crew members, including Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the first school teacher chosen for space flight. Kids will learn the history of the space shuttle program, discover what went wrong, and read how NASA has since revised the shuttle program. A "Profiles" section lists people related to this historic tragedy.

Crossing the icy North Atlantic on a quiet April night in 1912, the Titanic seemed invincible. Yet when a lookout suddenly screamed out, "Iceberg right ahead!" the great unsinkable passenger liner met its doom. In vivid narrative detail, Nightmare on the Titanic recounts the maiden voyage that carried both the famous and not-so-famous toward an icy death. Readers will meet Captain Edward Smith, crew members and passengers as they follow the desperate fight for survival while the nearby Carpathia raced, belatedly, to the rescue. Kids will learn how the ship was built and discover its fatal design flaw. A series of primary-source quotes from passengers reveal the human drama, while a "Profiles" section lists key players on the Titanic.

As the Hindenburg approached its landing in Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1937, radio announcer Herbert Morrison remarked that the ship's windows looked like "glittering jewels" in the sun. Moments later, a spark ignited the hydrogen-powered Hindenburg. Morrison cried out, "Oh, the humanity!" as the ship plunged to a fiery death. The Hindenburg Disaster recounts this air tragedy in gripping narrative detail as it introduces readers to crew members and passengers who flew that last flight. Kids will go inside the Hindenburg to learn how this great airship was created, and discover the sad facts that doomed the airship. A series of primary-source quotes from survivors and witnesses reveal the human drama, while a "Profiles" section lists key players on the Hindenburg.

The Grandcamp freighter held a deadly recipe in the port city of Texas City in 1947. As workers loaded bags of fertilizer made with ammonium nitrate into the ship's hold, particles from broken bags mixed with flammable debris in the freighter's hot underbelly. Heat caused the ammonium nitrate to combust, leading to one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history. In narrative detail, The Texas City Disaster recounts how the Grandcamp's explosion sent fireballs skyward to land on homes and stores, engulfing the city in flames. Through this drama, kids will learn how new safety procedures for chemical shipments help prevent such disasters today. A series of primary-source quotes from witnesses reveal the human drama, while a "Profiles" section lists players in Texas City.

In narrative detail, The Exxon Valdez's Deadly Oil Spill chronicles the worst oil-spill disaster in U.S. history. Readers will meet Joseph Hazelwood, the Valdez's captain, who accidentally ran the tanker aground in March 1989, rupturing the hull and spilling gallons of oil into Prince William Sound. Kids will read how nearly 10,000 workers and volunteers-including animal rescuers-rushed to help with the clean-up. The accident was, above all, an environmental disaster that led to new government regulations monitoring oil tankers, and spawned new environmental groups. Through this book, kids will appreciate the interdependence between plants and animals, and understand the impact humans have on the environment. Emphasizing the human drama, a "Profiles" section lists people related to this historic oil spill.