School Library Journal-Rezension

Gr 7 Up-Robin Buxton, naturalist and narrator for this program about Mount Kilimanjaro, is a member of a team climbing to the "island in the sky." Buxton, disabled by polio, and a local Tanzanian park ranger plan the trip to investigate whether the volcano is dying. This is particularly interesting because 80 percent of the glaciers have disappeared over the past 100 years. They look into glacial melt as a possible major source of water for the region and the impact of the shrinking ice flows. Slope instability is compared with Mt. St. Helen's and a German geologist and volcano expert is interviewed on camera. A helpful animated segment shows that Mount Kilimanjaro is actually three volcanoes formed in ancient times. Most exciting is the up-close look at the inner ring of the crater. There is also some natural science information provided about the area, including Kilimanjaro's unique weather patterns, ecosystem, and evolving species. An animated map shows the route of the expedition. Trek preparations, thin air conditions, and terrain variations are explained. One sequence shows whiskey drinking mountain climbers. The presentation tries to cover too much material-geology, culture, natural science, ecology, meteorology, and evolution. The weak drama generated by the expedition and the conclusions drawn by participating scientists are not exciting enough to maintain the interest of most students.-Joan Karasick, Greenwich High School, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.