Chasing Eruptions: How Volcanologists Maurice and Katia Krafft Helped Save 60,000 Lives-But Lost Their Own

by Curtis Manley, Katherine Roy (Illustrator)

The gripping story of volcanologists Maurice and Katia Krafft, perfect for armchair adventurers who loved The Mona Lisa Vanishes and Becoming Muhammad Ali. Complete with stunning illustrations from award-winning illustrator, Katherine Roy, and extensive backmatter for school and at-home conversations.

This beautiful biography in verse is about two French scientists who changed what we know about volcanoes. Katia, a curious girl who collected pebbles and dreamed of escaping her small town, grew up just a few miles away from Maurice, a boy who knew more about rocks and minerals than his own teachers. . . . When Katia and Maurice met as college students, they formed The Vulcan Team—named after the Roman god of fire—to observe, investigate, and document one of the most dangerous, natural phenomena on the volcanoes!

With dynamic art from award-winning artist Katherine Roy, Chasing Eruptions traces the legacy of Katia and Maurice Kraffts’ volcanic photographs and films—and how their footage continues to inspire and educate today.

160 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 21, 2026

About the author

I write for young people of all ages and strive to create fun books with facts about the world around us and truths about the worlds within.

curtismanley.com

Reviews

[Ann Staats · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story about volcanoes is a unique blend of biography in verse, survivor stories, fascinating sidebars, photos, illustrations, and an extensive back matter. The narrative opens when the two volcanologist heroes, Maurice and Katia, are about to lose their lives to science. Dedicated and passionate about volcanoes from an early age, here’s the story of how the two made a living by studying this phenomenon and speaking, writing, and making films to enlighten others—and potentially save lives. Their life journey was anything but ordinary as they trekked around the world studying volcanic activity. From Iceland to Greece to Indonesia to various far corners of the globe, Maurice and Katia experienced hardship after hardship to better understand the make-up and behavior of this natural occurrence. Their efforts paid off. At the end of the story when Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted, while 400 people were killed, 250,000 were evacuated due in large part to Maurice and Katia’s knowledge of how volcanoes behave. This is an incredible and engaging book! Pages are designed to be accessible and not overloaded by text. The text reads like a story while sharing incredible information about volcanoes. One of my favorite quotes from Maurice is, “In one year, I am a writer, a movie maker, a scientist, and an adventurer and so on—and when you mix all this, it is fantastic!” Definitely recommend this book for upper elementary readers and above.

[Beth Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story of two people brought together by love of volcanology unfolds alongside the stories of volcanoes around the world. The sparse narrative text flows easily and builds with Maurice and Katia’s volcanic adventures as they witness disaster and astounding sights. Sidebars feature science, history, and people. Survivor stories and illustrations inserted throughout add further dimension to the story. Copious back matter includes photos and additional resources for curious readers. While the Kraffts began with an insatiable interest in volcanoes, their mission evolved to using film to educate the public and keep them safe. An amazing treasure trove and engaging story of the intersection of humans and volcanoes.

[Nora Nickum · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing nonfiction book written in verse, full of incredible drama, adventure, compelling human stories, terrible tragedy, science, and discovery. The verse format allows for snapshots of different places, moments in history, and voices, and Curtis Manley weaves them all together into an engaging whole. The black/white/red illustrations complement the text really well. It's amazing that Maurice and Katia, the central real-life characters, saw 175 eruptions! And I'm grateful for their work to build understanding of how to stay safe when living near volcanoes, which saved many other lives. I learned a lot from this book and loved it all. Highly recommend!

[Kaitlyn Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manley's nonfiction book is verse is bursting with energy and information about the two brave volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, who spent a lifetime sharing their love of volcanoes with the world, and ultimately, used that passion to save thousands of lives.

The sidebars — that range from contextual notes to survivor tales — are informative stories in their own right that don't overwhelm the reader. Plus, Roy's illustrations are inviting, and the inky palette with a splash of color compliments the topic well. The back matter includes an author's note, archival images, discussion prompts, and further reader are great additions for anyone interested in exploring volcanology.

[Marianne Tabner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and illustrated nonfiction novel in verse, perfect for budding scientists and adults alike! Follow two brave Volcanologists, Katia and Maurice Krafft, on their fascinating, action packed, and captivating adventures around the world witnessing, documenting with film, volcano eruptions. Risking their own lives, they have created a legacy to transform the study of volcanoes, saving countless lives, today and in the future.