What is a disaster? Is being ill a disaster? Or 75 million people dying in the Black Death? That sounds like a disaster! Find out what kinds of things make disasters happen. Oh, and if disasters are bad, what about mega-disasters? They're a lot worse. Find out here.Then read the story The Eruption. Who can you trust when a volcano erupts near you?Great Disasters is part of the Trailblazers series, published by Ransom Publishing. It is ideal for older children and young adults with a reading age of 5 - 8. The books are suitable for general reading or as part of a more structured reading programme. Each book is on a strong, popular topic, with a colourful, attractive layout, combining fact and fiction.

Each book has a non fiction and a fiction section. The fiction story appears in two formats - one with simple texts for poor readers; the facing pages contain an illustrated "speech bubble" version of the same story, for those who are just starting to learn to read. These two levels of entry give access points for children and young adults with different reading ages. The vocabulary of each book is carefully limited, with simple sentences to reinforce reading skills, which make the books suitable for even the poorest readers.