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Landslide

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Landslide

By: Betty Culley
Narrated by: Jeff Ebner, Betty Culley
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About this listen

A perceptive boy worries the landfill across the street is on the verge of collapse, forming a brave plan to save his dad who works at the top of the heap.

* “A story of friendship, family, and kindness. . . An excellent choice for libraries needing realistic middle grade fiction, particularly with environmental or social emotional themes.” —School Library Journal, starred review


Nathan Savage has always been fascinated by anything that moves; he sees movement others don’t notice. But what he sees now out his living room window sets off major alarm bells—the massive landfill across the road is shifting, and could be heading toward a catastrophic landslide.
The landfill is also where Nathan’s dad works, on the top of the heap driving the huge compactor that crushes the garbage with its enormous metal wheels. The more Nathan watches the landfill, the more worried he becomes. What will happen to his father if he’s at work when the garbage hill collapses? A fate that seems closer and closer to happening every day if Nathan doesn’t act soon. But how does a ten-year old boy stop a force of nature? In this fascinating and fast-paced story, author Betty Culley exposes kids to lots of garbage, and the natural and environmental impact country landfills have on local towns.
Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction

Critic reviews

Praise for Landslide:

A JLG Selection

★ “This book has a lot of information about garbage, landfills, trash removal, and the impact of a landfill on the environment, but it’s also a story of friendship, family, and kindness. The characters are interesting and well developed and are portrayed as loving people who want to do the best for their families as well as the community. . . An excellent choice for libraries needing realistic middle grade fiction, particularly with environmental or social emotional themes.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“Culley grounds the story in solid environmental education, explaining rural landfills’ acceptance of out-of-state waste and the cumulative dangers of exposure to environmental waste and landfill gases. The plot builds steadily, and Nathan’s voice remains absorbing throughout, capturing a kid’s determination to protect his family while grappling with complex community politics. The environmental message is clear but never heavy-handed, and Wilder’s feelings about his condition add authentic representation. An author’s note reveals the story is based on an actual Maine landfill collapse in 1989 and states that such disasters occur worldwide. An earnest, well-researched environmental tale that educates as it engages.” —Kirkus

Landslide will appeal to fans of environmental fiction, especially those who liked Carl Hiaasen’s Hoot (2002) and Flush (2005), as well as readers interested in themes of activism.” —Booklist
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