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Review: A World Without Summer

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A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out
Written by Nicholas Day
Illustrated by Yas Imamura
New York: Random House Studio, 2025. Informational. 294 pages.

In 1815 on a small island in Indonesia, Mount Tambora erupted. The blast was the largest in human history, and one of the deadliest. Though it couldn't be understood at the time, the deadly blast half a world away would lead to catastrophic famine in Europe, prompt westward expansion in America, and inspire the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The global climate disaster following the explosion also led to inventions like modern meteorology and the early invention of the bicycle. The people living at the time couldn't have seen how everything was connected, but this fast paced narrative assures that readers will.

As he did in 2024's Sibert winner The Mona Lisa Vanishes, Nicholas Day does an impressive job of weaving together different historical events into one single, compelling narrative. Readers may not be familiar with much, if any, of the history mentioned in this book, but the narrative does a good job leading readers from place to place. At the same time, this book feels alarmingly current. How does a society deal with a looming climate crisis we seem powerless against? How do we know where to turn for information if we're still learning more daily? Tween readers will love this book that does not condescend to its audience, but prompts new and deeper critical thinking.
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