Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 12/01/2021 *Starred Review* The second volume in the Deadliest series focuses on the devastating hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900. After providing basic information on hurricanes, the difficulty of predicting them at the turn of the twentieth century, and the reason why accurate warnings from Cuban weather forecasters were ignored, the book tells the dramatic story of this terrifying, destructive storm. Residents of Galveston received no official warning of the hurricane’s approach before strong winds howled, heavy rains fell, and waters from the Gulf of Mexico surged inland, turning streets into rivers. Many houses, businesses, and public buildings fell in on their occupants, while some people swam to safety or escaped using boats and makeshift rafts. Causing more than 8,000 deaths, this hurricane remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Hopkinson vividly retells a series of personal narratives from journals, letters, and oral history records left by Galveston residents who survived, including a Black woman whose great-niece recorded her relative’s memories. Archival photos help readers visualize the storm’s destructive power. The book’s unusually engaging and informative back matter includes an introduction to source notes, a hurricane-related word-scramble game, and practical suggestions for kids conducting oral history interviews with their grandparents. A memorable account of a disastrous event. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.