Opening chapters jump right into a detailed account of people in peril, from a rugby team’s plane crash in the Andes (Rock and Mountain) to a sailor stranded on a raft in the Atlantic Ocean (Ocean), before examining the multiple risks and challenges inherent in the featured environment. Subsequent pages complete the main story, then move on to shorter tales of other perilous adventures. A final chapter offers practical survival tips. The text includes just enough background information, while quotations from the survivors add a personal, first-hand touch. The narratives can be grim. Not everyone survives, and details about injuries, suffering, and even cannibalism are described straightforwardly, without sensationalizing. Chronologically, the incidents range from arctic expeditions in the 1800s (Extreme Cold and Ocean) to a 2021 gold mine rescue (Cave and Mine). VERDICT Engaging and informative nonfiction for middle school aged readers.