Meltdown!: The Nuclear Disaster in Japan and Our Energy Future

Written by Fred Bortz

Narrated by Intuitive

Japan. March 11, 2011. 2:46 P.M. The biggest earthquake in Japan's history—and one of the world's five most powerful since 1900—devastated the Tohoku region, 320 kilometers (200 miles) northeast of Tokyo. It triggered a huge tsunami that left crippling damage in its wake. More than 13,000 people drowned, and thousands of buildings and homes were reduced to rubble.



As people assessed the damage, they made the most frightening discovery of all: the Fukushima #1 nuclear power plant was seriously damaged and three of its six reactors were heading for meltdowns. Workers tried desperately—but unsuccessfully—to save them. Explosions and fires released radioactivity into the air. Within days the Japanese government declared a 20-kilometer (12-mile) evacuation zone. The future of the plant, the long-term health of those exposed to radiation, and the effects on the environment remained uncertain.



Learn more about this massive catastrophe as Dr. Fred Bortz examines both the human tragedy and the scientific implications of the nuclear meltdown. Compare this disaster to similar nuclear events in the United States and in Ukraine, and move ahead with Dr. Bortz as he explores the global debate about the future of nuclear power and alternative sources of energy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner
• Release date: Jan 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512442427

Fred Bortz

After a 25-year career as a physicist, Fred Bortz turned to full-time writing in 1996 after his third book for young readers, Catastrophe! Great Engineering Failure—and Success (Scientific American Books for Young Readers, 1995), was designated a Selector's Choice on the National Science Teacher's Association's list of Outstanding Trade Books for Children. His books for Lerner imprints include: Techno-Matter: The Materials Behind the Marvels (Twenty-First Century Books, 2001, winner of the 2002 American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award for works intended for young readers and selected for several best books lists); Collision Course! Cosmic Impacts and Life on Earth (Millbrook Press, 2001, a School Library Journal Top Ten Science and Technology book); Astrobiology (Cool Science series, 2008); Seven Wonders of Exploration Technology (Twenty-First Century Books, 2010); and Seven Wonders of Space Technology (Twenty-First Century Books, 2011).

Reviews for Meltdown!

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good overview of the nuclear disaster in Japan and discussion of the pros and cons of nuclear energy and alternatives.

[sdpogue · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meltdown! is the story of the nuclear meltdown in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami in June 2011. The subject matter begins with the earthquake and tsunami, including the Japanese warning systems. It then moves on to explain the history and science behind nuclear reactions before returning to what caused the reactors to meltdown. Fred Bortz includes what happened at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.While the subject matter is quite interesting, Fred Bortz’s book is not the most captivating. There is a lot of information, some that seems to be more advanced than the target age group. The excessive information coupled with the word count – it’s a lot of words in a very short book – left me less excited than I started.The information is good information but I can’t imagine a child sitting through a reading of the book. Breaking it up and reading a chapter at a time would be best (if using this book for lessons).I did find Fred Bortz’s language to be a little odd. Some of the wording comes across strangely. To explain is difficult but I got the impression that he was “dumbing” down the language which caused it to seem less than target age appropriate.I did like the subject matter, I’m not sure I liked the delivery of the material. This is a great indepth look into nuclear energy and what happened in Japan last summer. I do believe the book was written a little too early since there is still information coming. Towards the end of the book there were a number of places where Fred Bortz said that we still don’t know what the end result are. While that makes the book current now, it will become dated as new information comes out.