Peko Pal
The Earthquake Zipline
When an earthquake traps their otter friends in flooding tunnels, Brandt and Carter find every normal route blocked. With Mr. Tom's help, the boys ride an emergency zipline across the school roof for one daring shot at a rescue.
- Ages
- 5–7
- Length
- 1 hr 22 min, 6 chapters
- Feel
- Some suspense
- Wi-Fi to play
- Not needed
Why parents pick it
An earthquake hits the school science fair setup, and the brothers do exactly what they practiced: drop, cover and hold on. The real story begins afterward, with the otters' tunnels flooding and the only way in being a rooftop emergency zipline. It is a rescue that takes careful planning, with a janitor who insists on safety checks at every step.
Good fit if your child…
- has questions about earthquakes or has done drills at school
- likes high-stakes rescues with a clock ticking
- enjoys stories where a younger sibling has the key idea
Listen to a preview
From Chapter 1
The evening sun streamed through the tall windows of Oxford Elementary's multipurpose room as Brandt carefully arranged the final piece of their science fair display. Their project - a detailed model of Strawberry Creek's ecosystem - sat proudly on the table, complete with tiny painted otters that made Brandt smile at the secret meaning only he and Carter knew.
"Does the waterfall look realistic?" Carter asked, adjusting the blue cellophane they'd used to create flowing water.
"It looks great," Brandt assured him. "Pass me the label cards?"
Carter handed over the stack of information cards they'd written about creek habitats, water flow, and local wildlife. Other families bustled around the multipurpose room, setting up their own projects. Tomorrow was the big science fair, but tonight was setup night, and the room buzzed with excited chatter.
What happens
It is setup night for the big science fair at Oxford Elementary when the floor starts to shake. Brandt and Carter drop, cover and hold on, just as they practiced, and the story shows each step clearly. Once the shaking stops, the brothers are safe, but they worry about their otter friends in the tunnels beneath the school.
The next day, with school closed for inspections, the boys sneak off to check on the colony and find locked doors, caution tape and grown-ups telling them to go home. Families will enjoy a suspenseful adventure that explains earthquake safety in a calm way and shows brothers solving problems together.
For the grown-up
What they get from it. Children see what drop, cover and hold on looks like, and that safety checks, such as double-checking each clip and testing before a risky step, are part of being brave. They also see a little brother's idea save the day and a family talk about trust.
Before you play it. The earthquake in chapter 1 is vivid but short, and the grown-ups around the boys stay calm. Tension builds in the middle chapters as the water rises around the trapped otters and the boys are stuck at home, and again at the rooftop zipline, where one boy gets a minor rope burn. Everything is resolved warmly by the end.
Ask your child afterwards:
- What do you do at school when there is an earthquake drill?
- Why did Mr. Tom check every buckle and clip twice?
- When something is scary but important, how do you decide whether to try it?
Chapters
- The ShakeA quiet evening of science fair setup, then the floor starts to move.
- Trapped BelowSchool is cancelled, a promise is on the line, and the water is rising.
- No Way ThroughLocked doors, an inspector and a clock that keeps ticking.
- The Only WayA visitor on the porch has an unusual idea, and a six-year-old thought of it.
- Flying to the RescueFrom the school roof, two hundred and fifty feet of cable stretches across empty air.
- Safe AgainBack home, a call from the city means the boys have a lot to explain.
Themes
Common questions
- What age is The Earthquake Zipline for?
- It is written for ages 5–7.
- How long is The Earthquake Zipline?
- 6 chapters, about 1 hr 22 min in all.
- Is The Earthquake Zipline scary?
- The earthquake in chapter 1 is vivid but short, and the grown-ups around the boys stay calm. Tension builds in the middle chapters as the water rises around the trapped otters and the boys are stuck at home, and again at the rooftop zipline, where one boy gets a minor rope burn. Everything is resolved warmly by the end.
- Does it need Wi-Fi?
- No. Once it is on the Pal, it plays without Wi-Fi.
Playing it on the Pal
Press the button to play or pause. Tap left or right to skip back or ahead 15 seconds, double-tap for the previous or next chapter, or triple-tap left to start the book over. Up and down switch to another book. It picks up where you left off.