When the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl exploded in April 1986, no one could possibly have foretold the dramatic resurgence of plant and animal life that scientists are witnessing in the region in the twenty-first century. Rebecca L. Johnson interviewed some of the key scientists who are working in Chernobyl’s so-called Dead Zone to try to better understand how life continues and perhaps even adapts to survive after nuclear devastation. The book–new for TFCB this fall–includes photos from the field, and this month, Kirkus gave the fascinating account a star, commenting that “the appropriate background and clear, easy-to-understand explanations make this one-of-a-kind title both accessible and interesting. An important story clearly and engagingly told by an experienced science writer.”

Chernobyl’s Wild Kingdom: Life in the Dead Zone is a one-of-a-kind read you won’t want to miss. Try pairing it with a (free online) viewing of PBS’s Radioactive Wolves, a 2011 Nature documentary focusing on the wolf packs in Chernobyl’s Dead Zone.