America, Earthquake, Natural Disaster, Disability, Family, Realistic Fiction
Earthquake Terror
by Peg Kehret
Key information
Author: Peg Kehret
Cover artist: -
Release Date: 28th May 1988
Star rating: ★★★★
Book type: Short chapter, 144 pages
Genre: Realistic fiction, Drama
Reader level: Growing reader, Shared read 8+
Age: Year 4+
Overview
Earthquake Terror is a gripping middle-grade novel that centers around 12-year-old Jonathan Palmer and his younger sister Abby, who uses a walker due to a physical disability. The Palmer family is enjoying a camping trip on a remote island in the California wilderness when the story begins. When their mother suffers a fall and needs emergency medical care, their father rushes her to the hospital, leaving Jonathan temporarily in charge of Abby.
Soon after, a massive earthquake strikes, devastating the island. Bridges collapse, the ground splits, and communication is cut off. Jonathan and Abby are now completely isolated, and Jonathan must find the courage to lead them to safety. The added challenge of caring for Abby, who cannot walk without assistance, heightens the tension and emotional weight of the story.
As aftershocks rattle the ground and rising floodwaters threaten their safety, Jonathan shows remarkable resourcefulness and emotional strength. The story is told in third person but focuses closely on Jonathan’s thoughts, fears, and growing sense of responsibility, making it a powerful character-driven narrative.
Key concepts/themes
- Bravery
- Responsibility
- Fear
- Natural Disaster
- Resilience
- Survival
Considerations
- Natural Disaster
- Realistic events
- Fire
- Flooding
- Injury
Curriculum links
Geography - Natural disaster, Earthquake, Flooding
Additional teaching opportunities
1. Writing
- Newspaper report (Missing children)
- Diary entry (About camp/earthquake experience)
- Letter (Thank you to Emergency Services)
- Discussion (Should the children have been left behind?)
- Instructions (How to prepare for an earthquake)
- Non-chronological report (Earthquakes)
- Chronological reports (Specific earthquake time line)
2. Science
- Natural disasters
- Materials (make a raft for the children)
3. PSHE
- Adapting to changes in life
- Becoming older sibling
- Sibling responsibilities
- Outdoor safety
- Living with a disability
Vocabulary
| Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|
| Earthquake, aftershock |
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