Tarshis, Lauren

Lucas has to tell his dad's friend Benny, a firefighter and former football star, that his parents do not want him playing football anymore, and he takes the train into New York City to talk to Benny, but everything changes when the Twin Towers are attacked.

Witnessing the harrowing events of the Civil War from the sidelines, eleven-year-old Henry endures the most grueling challenges of his life throughout a hot July week when he becomes inadvertently involved in the historic battle.

A massive earthquake and devastating tsunami hit Japan while Ben is visiting his late father's hometown, pulling Ben's family apart and leaving him stranded in a strange country during an epic disaster.

Barry's family prepares to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits, but when his little sister gets very sick, they are forced to stay home and face the floodwater that sweeps Barry away.

In July, 1916, Chet Roscow is fascinated by news accounts of the great white shark said to be attacking people along the New Jersey shore not far from his home, but when he goes swimming in Matawan Creek he discovers the truth of the stories.

Sand flew up into Danny's eyes. And then from behind him, a huge explosion seemed to shatter the world. The force lifted Danny off his feet and threw him onto the ground. And then Danny couldn't hear anything at all.

Ten-year-old Leo loves being a newsboy in San Francisco--but early one spring morning in 1906 Leo's world is shaken, when he finds himself stranded in the middle of San Francisco as it crumbles and burns to the ground.

Excited to board the Titanic with his aunt and little sister, ten-year-old George begins to explore the ill-fated ship's first-class storage cabin when the ship is rocked by a collision with an iceberg and begins to sink. Includes facts about the Titanic.

In 2011, while visiting his father's hometown in Japan shortly after his death, Ben finds himself and his family being swept away by a terrible tsunami that leaves him stranded and alone in a strange country, far from home.

Ten-year-old Chet Roscow, who had been thrilled by the news of an aggressive great white shark attacking people all along the Atlantic coast, goes swimming with his friends in Springfield, New Jersey, one day, and wonders if he sees a shark in the water.