Our Planet by Scott Steedman

Have you ever wondered about our planet? Where did it come from? How are seas and deserts formed? What makes the sky blue or the wind blow?

This book will answers those questions and many more. There are short chapters on jungles, deserts, the frozen poles and ways in which we can save our planet. It also has a glossary of useful words and all sections are accompanied by colourful illustrations and helpful diagrams. The whole book is only forty pages long. You could read it easily in two silent reading sessions.

Violent Volcanoes by Anita Ganeri

This book is from the Horrible Geography series and is a lot of fun. It is a guide to volcanoes with the gritty bits left in. You can read the diaries of volcano survivors, get clued-up with the spotter's guide to eruptions, plan an explosive holiday with the volcano vacation guide, marvel at red-hot volcanic rocks the size of cars. It has excellent diagrams, funny cartoons and is a painless way to learn about natural disasters. There is lots about Mt St Helens, Pompeii and Krakatoa.

The House on the Volcano

This is a somewhat quaint little book which nevertheless is an interesting little read. It was published in 1966 and the story takes place on Big Island in Hawaii. Even though it fiction it does have its merits in terms of volcanoes and the mythology of Madam Pele. There is a quite extensive glossary in the back with geological terms and the Hawaiian words which are sprinkled throughout the book. It deals with a young boy, Kimo, who lives with his grandmother on the edge of Kilauea Volcano. His grandmother firmly believes Madam Pele is responsible for volcanic eruptions but at school he is confronted with the scientific explanations which are at odds with all the stories she has shared with him. The book would suit readers 9-12. It has lovely retro ink illustrations which give the novel a lot of appeal.

Watch the promo to see if this might be a good read for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XO2El33IOA