Common Sense Media Review
By Susan Faust
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Urgent, relevant tale of a local disaster's global impact.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The massive volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 in present-day Indonesia is the subject of A WORLD WITHOUT SUMMER. The violent event is described in great detail: the deafening noise, darkening sky, flowing lava, collapsing mountain, and boiling sea. A conservative estimate puts the immediate death toll at 100,000. Particulate matter was blasted into the stratosphere, blotting out the sun and causing global climate change for over a year. The human catastrophe is incalculable with crop failures, unemployment, unrest, floods, storms, famine, drought, disease, and widespread death. Many scientists, artists, and writers make cameo appearances along the way, but focus is on Mary Shelley whose novel Frankenstein grew out of the rainy summer of 1816 along Lake Geneva. She took up the idea of how well-intentioned actions can sometimes result in destructive consequences. This idea has relevance to modern climate change. Back matter includes acknowledgements, bibliography, notes, and an index.
Is It Any Good?
A little-known chapter of history is elevated to an urgently relevant cautionary tale in A World Without Summer. Young teens with a taste for disasters, history buffs, Mary Shelley fans, and climate change activists will find much to consider. Richly detailed and recounted is the volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 with catastrophic global consequences for over a year. Also linked to the eruption is the genesis of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. That connection raises many thought-provoking questions. Is Victor Frankenstein's "creature" the true monster or are we? Are we creating a man-made natural climate catastrophe? This robust story from the past offers profound lessons for the present and the future, counseling that we must learn to trust knowledge and expertise and act accordingly. That hopeful conclusion has implications that go way beyond climate change.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how A World Without Summer describes a massive natural disaster and its consequences. Have you ever experienced a natural disaster yourself, for example, an earthquake, hurricane, or tornado? If so, how did you feel during and after the event?
In 1816, global communication was limited so people beyond Mount Tambora knew little of what happened for a long time. How is communication different today? How do we learn about disasters today?
Novelist Mary Shelley persevered through many tragedies to create Frankenstein and communicate big ideas about how seemingly good intentions can lead to destructive results. Can you think of a time when you had good intentions that went wrong? What happened? How do you like to communicate your ideas (writing? talking? art?)?
The book describes different ways of reacting to the suffering of others. Some people want to help and some just want those in need to go away. Why do you think some people feel empathy and others don't?
A volcanic eruption can cause climate change. So can humans. Do you do anything to help the environment? If so, what?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Yas Imamura
- Genre : History
- Topics : Activism ( Climate change ) , History , STEM ( Nature , Science )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Random House Studio
- Publication date : September 9, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 304
- Available on : Audiobook (abridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : October 27, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate