I Survived The Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980 by Lauren Tarshis illustrated by Scott Dawson

Ms. Tarshis originally began this series because her three sons did not like to read.  It seemed to her that there were tons of books that appealed to girl readers but not boys.  So she created a series which would encourage reluctant boy readers to pick up a book and enjoy it.  She was very successful.
Some girls, however, wrote to her and asked why there were not girl main characters in this series.  As a result, Ms. Tarshis decided to have a girl as a main character in her latest book.
In my opinion, books with strong female characters abound and was greatly disappointed to see this switch!
Jessie and her best friends, twin brothers Sam and Eddie, find themselves within miles of Mount St. Helen's when it erupts.  With determination, Jessie escapes the rubble and finds help to rescue her friends.
-Borrowed from the library.
Perfect for reluctant readers.
Guided Reading Level: R (beginning of 4th grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 4th