Flooded Requiem for Johnstown

Ann E. Burg's 'Flooded: Requiem for Johnstown' is a poignant historical novel in blank verse, recounting the tragic 1889 Johnstown Flood. The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of six children and other community members, offering a deeply personal look at the disaster, the immediate struggle for survival, and the long-term emotional and physical recovery. It explores themes of grief, resilience, community, and the search for justice in the face of corporate negligence. This book is best suited for late elementary to middle school readers (ages 8-12) who are ready for a serious historical topic and a unique poetic format, making it an excellent choice for classroom discussions or a meaningful independent read.

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam built to create a man-made lake for America's wealthiest businessmen collapsed, unleashing twenty million tons of water onto the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, below; told in the voices of six children and many others this is the story of the ordinary people of the town, their losses and their survival--and of the bitter aftermath when those for whom the dam was built denied all responsibility for the shoddy dam and the unnatural disaster which it caused. Told in blank verse.