Volcano Town Written by: Jake Klug Illustrated by: Sara Dziubek
High above the landscape stands a steep mountain.
ItsItspeak covered in snow, peak is is covered in snow, andaalush lush green forest lies lies and green forest below. But if you look closely below. But if you look closely you may see that this is no you may see that this is no ordinary mountain. ordinary mountain.
At its peak there is a hole called a crater. Deep inside the crater, hot fiery rock called magma stirs. This mountain is a volcano.
But this giant volcano is not sleeping. In fact it is quite awake and restless. This volcano is preparing to erupt.
Down below the mountain in a small town is Dr. Hutton. Dr. Hutton is not a medical doctor, but a doctor who studies volcanoes. His job is to protect the town and tell them when the volcano will erupt.
Volcanologist
Dr. Hutton has been watching the volcano for a long time now. He uses computers, sensors, and other advanced technology to monitor the volcanoes activity.
Dr. Hutton notices some troubling things about the volcano. The mountain top has begun to smoke and the ground shakes slightly. Dr. Hutton is very nevous now.
Dr. Hutton knows that the ground beneath the volcano is filling up with magma. The pressure is building up inside the volcano and an eruption is coming.
Dr. Hutton orders that everyone leaves the own so that they will be safe.
Soon, everyone is gone and the town is abandoned. The streets are silent and all the homes are empty. Even Dr. Hutton has left.
In the forest, the birds fly away and the animals hide. Everyone knows something big is about to happen. The mountain sits silently above the landscape.
Then suddenly the mountaintop explodes with a loud BANG!
The huge force from the explosion knocks over trees all around the mountain. Large amounts of gas, ash, and burning rock begin to pour out of the volcano.
The ash and gas form a towering cloud above the volcano. The cloud is so thick that it blocks the sun and darkness falls over the landscape.
The ash begins to fall slowly and blankets the landscape like snow.
Meanwhile, hot melted rock called lava begins to flow over the side of the volcano.
The glowing lava slowly creeps down the side of the mountain and lights up the dark sky.
Inch by inch, it flows closer and closer to the forest and the town.
The lava reaches the forest and the town. Anything that touches the lava begins to burn instantly. Before long the whole forest and town is ablaze.
The eruption continues for two days before it stops.
The lava cools down, stops flowing, and hardens into a rock. By the end of the eruption there is very little left of the town and much of the forest is gone.
The townspeople return and are sad to find their town destroyed. But more importantly they are thankful to be safe and with their families. They all thank Dr. Hutton for protecting them and telling them to leave.
Soon, people come from miles around bringing supplies and food to help. Everyone helps each other and the town is quickly rebuilt. Soon everyone has a home again.
The material that erupted from the volcano serves as good soil. As a result the forest begins to grow again and the animals return.
All is back to normal.
The volcano still stands tall in the background. It is quiet for now, but it will not be forever. It promises another eruption.
This book was created in the fall of 2015 as a project for the Introduction to Design class at St. Norbert College. The illustrations are handsketched, and colored in Photoshop, and the typeset is Superclarendon.