The World Ends in April
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comet: an ice-and-rock object orbiting the sun, often with a coma (which is an atmosphere) and tail
meteor: the bright streak created by a meteoroid, an asteroid, or a comet (or a chunk of a comet) entering Earth’s atmosphere (sometimes called a shooting star)
meteorite: a meteoroid that lands on Earth’s surface
meteoroid: a small piece—smaller than 1 kilometer (0.62 miles), and often only a few millimeters (fractions of an inch), in size—from an asteroid or comet that orbits the sun
ACCORDING TO NASA
ASTEROID FACTS
From nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/overview/fastfacts.html
Every day, Earth is bombarded with more than 100 tons of dust and sand-sized particles.
About once a year, an automobile-sized asteroid hits Earth’s atmosphere, creates an impressive fireball, and burns up before reaching the surface.
Every 2,000 years or so, a meteoroid the size of a football field hits Earth and causes significant damage to the area.
Only once every few million years, an object large enough to threaten Earth’s civilization comes along. Impact craters on Earth, the moon, and other planetary bodies are evidence of these occurrences.
Space rocks smaller than about 25 meters (about 82 feet) will most likely burn up as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere and cause little or no damage.
If a rocky meteoroid larger than 25 meters but smaller than one kilometer (a little more than a half mile) were to hit Earth, it would likely cause local damage to the impact area.
We believe anything larger than one to two kilometers (one kilometer is a little more than one-half mile) could have worldwide effects. At 5.4 kilometers in diameter, the largest known potentially hazardous asteroid is Toutatis.
By comparison, asteroids that populate the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and pose no threat to Earth, can be as big as 940 kilometers (about 583 miles) across.
READINESS KIT
We don’t need to be ready for an asteroid strike, a zombie apocalypse, or the rise of machines, but natural disasters—like snowstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes—can occur in many parts of the world. A basic emergency prep kit can be useful in these situations and beyond. The U.S. government recommends the following items.
BUILD A KIT
Adapted from ready.gov/build-a-kit
Make sure your emergency kit is stocked with the items on the checklist below. Most of the items are inexpensive and easy to find, and any one of them could save your life. Headed to the store? Once you take a look at the basic items, consider what special needs your family might have, such as supplies for babies, grandparents, or pets.
After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water, and other supplies to last for at least seventy-two hours. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your family may need in the event of an emergency.
Basic Disaster Supplies Kit
To assemble your kit, store items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers such as plastic bins or a duffel bag.
A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:
water—one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and cleaning
food—at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food
battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
flashlight
extra batteries
first-aid kit
whistle to signal for help
dust mask to help filter contaminated air, and plastic sheeting and duct tape to make a shelter if needed
moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties to help keep clean
wrench or pliers to turn off electricity and water
manual can opener for food
local maps
cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
Additional Emergency Supplies
Consider adding the following items to your emergency supply kit based on your individual needs:
prescription medications
nonprescription medications such as pain relievers or anti-diarrhea medication
glasses, contact lens solution
infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream
pet food and extra water for your pet
cash or traveler’s checks
important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification, and bank account records saved electronically or in a portable waterproof container
sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
complete change of clothing (appropriate for your climate) and sturdy shoes
household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper to disinfect water
fire extinguisher
matches in a waterproof container
feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
mess kits, cups, plates, paper towels, and plastic utensils
paper and pencils
books, games, puzzles, or other activities for children
Maintaining Your Kit
After assembling your kit, remember to maintain it so it’s ready when needed:
Keep canned food in a cool, dry place.
Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
Replace expired items as needed.
Rethink your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.
Kit Storage Locations
Since you do not know where you will be when an emergency occurs, prepare supplies for home and vehicles.
Home: Keep this kit in a designated place and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly. Make sure all family members know where the kit is kept.
Vehicle: In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car.
LEGITIMATE SOURCES
The abundance of information available on the internet makes our lives easier and richer with knowledge. With a few clicks, we can find out who won the big game, how many steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty, and the chemical composition of a sugar molecule. However, mixed in with this useful and correct information are mistakes, hoaxes, and outdated materials. These false websites and posts can be hard to spot, and no agency polices them.
There is no surefire way to check whether a website is legitimate, but these ten signs should make you pause:
A sloppy website with multiple misspellings, poor grammar, broken links, and obviously altered photographs. Also, beware of the overuse of caps (the site seems to be SCREAMING to get your attention).
A stolen domain name. Fake sites may add a “.co” to a legitimate source. For example: nytimes.com might be nytimes.com.co.
An old publication date or a site that has not been updated recently. Science, technology, and current events are changing all the time, so check the date, especially when using a source for research.
Information that cannot be verified on another site. If it’s true news or factual information, you will find multiple sources reporting on it.
No “About” page or section. A legitimate source will list authors and/or organizations as contributors to the website.
No “Contact” page or section. There should be an email or a form to contact the authors or website sponsors.
A website that f
eels emotional. An illegitimate site may try to make the reader angry or scared.
Too many ads. Since most websites are free to visit, we’re likely to see ads on legitimate sites. However, if there seems to be an abundance of ads, especially pop-up advertisements, the intention could be to sell products or services, not to share information.
Random statistics with no links to the reported data. When a site says “75 percent…” or “three out of five…,” the source of this information should be clearly referenced.
Vague wording instead of specific information. Instead of numbers, you may read a lot, most, many, a few, or hardly any. Instead of a specific person’s name, you may read scientist. Instead of an exact location, you may read in the Midwest.
These signs are not a guaranteed way to determine if a site is legitimate. This is a complicated issue. For additional help, talk with your librarian or media specialist and discuss internet safety with a trusted adult.
FTLOA—FOR THE LOVE OF ACRONYMS
AI: after impact
aka: also known as
BOB: bug-out bag
BOL: bug-out location
MAG: mutual aid group
MRE: meals, ready-to-eat
NEA: near-Earth asteroid
NEO: near-Earth object
SHTF: stuff hits the fan
TEOTWAWKI: the end of the world as we know it
WROL: without rule of law
SOURCES
Websites
“Asteroid or Meteor: What’s the Difference?” NASA Space Place. Last updated September 24, 2018. spaceplace.nasa.gov/asteroid-or-meteor/en.
Boslough, Mark, and David Kring. “Chelyabinsk: Portrait of an Asteroid Airburst.” Physics Today. September 1, 2014. physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/PT.3.2515?journalCode=pto.
Brusatte, Stephen L., et al. “The Extinction of the Dinosaurs.” Biological Reviews. Wiley-Blackwell. July 28, 2014. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/brv.12128.
“Chicxulub Impact Event: Regional Effects.” Lunar and Planetary Institute. Accessed January 4, 2019. lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Chicxulub/regional-effects.
Culler, Jessica. “NASA and International Researchers Obtain Crucial Data from Meteoroid Impact.” NASA. Last updated November 6, 2013. nasa.gov/content/nasa-and-international-researchers-obtain-crucial-data-from-meteoroid-impact.
Dunbar, Brian. “Asteroid Fast Facts.” NASA. Last updated August 7, 2017. nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/overview/fastfacts.html.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “What Is Known (and Not Known) About the Tunguska Event.” Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Accessed January 4, 2019. britannica.com/story/what-is-known-(and-not-known)-about-the-tunguska-event.
“Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).” NASA/JPL Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. Accessed January 4, 2019. cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/faq.
Hadhazy, Adam. “Tunguska—100 Years Later.” Scientific American. June 30, 2008. scientificamerican.com/article/what-happened-at-tunguska.
Hauser, Christine. “That Wasn’t a Meteorite That Killed a Man in India, NASA Says.” The New York Times. February 6, 2016. nytimes.com/2016/02/10/world/asia/that-wasnt-a-meteorite-that-killed-a-man-in-india-nasa-says.html.
“ISTE Standards for Students.” ISTE, International Society for Technology in Education. Accessed January 4, 2019. iste.org/standards/for-students.
Kaiho, Kunio, and Naga Oshima. “Site of Asteroid Impact Changed the History of Life on Earth: The Low Probability of Mass Extinction.” Scientific Reports. Last updated November 9, 2017. nature.com/articles/s41598-017-14199-x.
Lineberry, Denise. “Near-Earth Objects Impact Our Lives.” NASA. Last updated August 29, 2013. nasa.gov/larc/astronomical-impact-in-the-chesapeake-bay.
Phillips, Tony. “The Tunguska Impact—100 Years Later.” NASA. Last updated June 30, 2008. science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/30jun_tunguska.
Popova, O.P., et al. “First Study Results of Russian Chelyabinsk Meteor Published.” Phys.org. Last updated November 6, 2013. phys.org/news/2013-11-results-russian-chelyabinsk-meteor-published.html.
“The Probability of Collisions with Earth.” NASA/JPL. Accessed January 4, 2019. jpl.nasa.gov/sl9/back2.html.
Schulten, Katherine, and Amanda Christy Brown. “Evaluating Sources in a ‘Post-Truth’ World: Ideas for Teaching and Learning About Fake News.” The New York Times. January 19, 2017. nytimes.com/2017/01/19/learning/lesson-plans/evaluating-sources-in-a-post-truth-world-ideas-for-teaching-and-learning-about-fake-news.html.
Shekhtman, Lonnie, and Jay Thompson. “Asteroids.” NASA Science, Solar System Exploration. Last updated December 19, 2017. solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/asteroids/in-depth.
Talbert, Tricia. “Five Years after the Chelyabinsk Meteor: NASA Leads Planetary Defense.” NASA. Last updated February 28, 2018. nasa.gov/feature/five-years-after-the-chelyabinsk-meteor-nasa-leads-efforts-in-planetary-defense.
Talbert, Tricia. “Planetary Defense Frequently Asked Questions.” NASA. Last updated August 29, 2017. nasa.gov/planetarydefense/faq.
Tedesco, Edward F. “Tunguska Event.” Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Last updated September 10, 2018. britannica.com/event/Tunguska-event.
“What Is the Difference between a Meteor, a Meteoroid, a Meteorite, an Asteroid, and a Comet?” HubbleSite. Accessed January 4, 2019. hubblesite.org/reference_desk/faq/answer.php.id=22&cat=solarsystem.
Books
Brusatte, Steve. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs. New York: William Morrow, 2018.
Rusch, Elizabeth. Impact!: Asteroids and the Science of Saving the World. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.
Acknowledgments
I write alone (unless you count the sleeping dogs that hang out in my office), but I do not create books alone. So many people have helped make this novel a reality. I couldn’t do any of this without them.
Caroline Abbey, my amazing editor, who has been there from initial idea to draft number seventy-seven. (Maybe we didn’t have quite that many.) It’s been a fun and epic journey. Her patience and thoughtfulness cannot be topped.
Lori Kilkelly is everything a great agent should be: honest, funny, tough as nails, encouraging. And she always knows the right thing to say to keep an author sane. She’s my fairy godsister.
My first reader is Carolyn Coman. There’s not a smarter teacher and mentor in the world. Without her I’d have either a thousand-page mess or a ten-page mess. And I’d definitely be curled up on the floor weeping.
High fives to the wonderful team at Random House Children’s Books. I appreciate all the hard work it takes to create and promote a beautiful book. Kathy Dunn, Michelle Nagler, Michelle Cunningham, Barbara Bakowski, Kristin Schulz, Polo Orozco, and everyone else on the Random House team.
The character Mack Jefferson originally did not belong to this story. He was from another, unfinished manuscript. But after meeting the staff and students at Tracy’s Little Red School House in Winston-Salem, I knew Mack had to stay. Thanks to Chris Flynt and Kim Flanagan and the rest of the TLRSH family. I also received feedback on Mack from my friend and fellow author Lisa Rose. She’s a kind and amazing person, and the mother of a kind and an amazing daughter, Victoria. (While inspired by these people, Mack is an entirely fictional character.)
The fictitious Bill and Rosemary Keene mentioned in this book are named after Bill and Rosemary Keene of North Carolina. They won a spot in this novel through a contest sponsored by the Independent Booksellers of Piedmont, North Carolina. (Beyond their names, any other similarities to Mr. and Mrs. Keene are purely coincidental.)
Thanks to my running-with-gall
on-water-jugs guinea pigs: Spencer Postle, Ryan Engle, Graham Davis, and my children. They showed it can be done, and I have the video footage to prove it.
Chris Hays and Heidi Burns graciously offered assistance and resources for identifying legitimate sources. It’s a complicated issue, and their insight as educators is appreciated.
The kidlit community is both small and vast, and it’s almost always kind. Alan Gratz, Barbara O’Connor, Sherri Duskey Rinker, Aaron Reynolds, Salina Yoon, John Claude Bemis, Lisa Yee, and Kate Beasley have all selflessly shared their expertise and knowledge with me.
No one understands a writer the way other writers do. I’m forever grateful to my writing buddies, Laura Gehl, Camille Andros, Lori Richmond, Peter McCleery, Jason Gallaher, Anthony Piraino, Deb Beauchamp, Megan Bryant, and Tara Luebbe. Thanks for joining me on this wild ride and holding my hand through most of it.
Thanks to my friends at Bookmarks—one of my favorite places. I’m often greeted with hugs and congratulations (and book recommendations).