Reviews

This is one of the best Girls Survive books that I have read so far. All of the different elements of the story come together well, and it covers a lot of historical information organically within the character's experience, without any of it feeling tacked-on. I also enjoyed the historical tie-in of Lily loving The Wizard of Oz, since it was such a popular book during that era. I enjoyed seeing how she connected the characters' experiences to her own as a way to choose courage and perseverance in the face of difficult odds.

The story is suspenseful and has a satisfying ending. The ending is mostly happy while still being honest about the devastation that occurred for San Francisco and the Chinese community in particular, and the author's note at the end includes historical photographs and additional information about history of Chinese immigrants in America and the discrimination that they faced. The book tackles heavy topics without seeming preachy or contrived, and is suitable for a wide age range.

jennybeastie's review against another edition

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4.0

The say after her 12 year old birthday, Lily and her family survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Separated from her parents, Lily and her brother must brave a long walk, hostile crowds and racist acts to find their way to safety. The story is well told, and I really appreciated the connection Lily feels between what is happening to her and the adventures of Dorothy in Oz, her favorite book. I also loved seeing her find her voice as the journey unfolds. Veede Bybee shares that she grew up in San Francisco as a Chinese American and never learned the history of what happened to Chinese immigrants during this period of time. So glad she is able to correct that omission for young readers today.

backonthealex's review against another edition

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4.0

On the night of April 17, 1906, Lily, a Chinese American girl living in San Francisco's Chinatown, is celebrating her 12th birthday with her family, mother, father and younger brother Lee and baby sister June, friends and neighbors including elderly Mr. Quan. As a big surprise, Lily is given a copy of her favorite book, The Wizard of Oz and that night, she reads some of it to her brother before bed. But early the next morning, the earth begins to shake, and it keeps shaking as Lily and Lee crouch under the kitchen table while their home begins to fall apart and crumble around them. An earthquake is a scary experience, and this one was a big one, but as Lily and Lee wait to be found, trapped and in darkness, she reminds Lee about the cowardly lion who found needed courage within himself.

Finally, their father locates the siblings and together they dig out of the debris. No one is seriously hurt, except their mom has a badly sprained ankle. It is agreed that Lily and Lee will go ahead with Mr. Quan to the Ferry Building where they will all meet up and take the ferry across the bay to Oakland. The going is slow, partly because everyone else in San Francisco has the same idea, and partly because they are going with Jade See Young, a young women who has bound feet.

As the city of San Francisco burns around them, and people push pass them to escape, Lily and Lee quickly lose sight of Mr. Quan and Jade. On their own now, Lily and Lee are faced instances of racism, with people who push them out of their way, and others who are happy to see Chinatown razed and would like the Chinese people to go back to China. More and more, Lily reminds herself and Lee about how the lion, the scarecrow, and the tinman from her book also had to deal with adversity as they traveled to the Emerald City. But inside, even Lily is worried. Will they be able to find Mr. Quan and Jade? And will they be able to find their parents at the overly crowded Ferry Building, with everyone else trying to get on a boat to get to safety?

Lily and the Great Quake is the fourth book in the Girls Survive series. It is a wonderful chapter book that is filled with information about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, as well as instances of Chinese culture, but it also doesn't shy away from dealing with issues of racism towards Chinese people.

There are plenty of black and white illustrations throughout the book that really capture the destruction an earthquake can cause. Back matter includes an Author's Note, with photographs of San Francisco in the aftermath of the earthquake, a Glossary, and suggestions for reader to Make Connections.

Lily and the Great Quake is the perfect book for celebrating Multicultural Children's Book Day, a great book to read anytime, and to share with other young readers. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

I was gifted this book to review for MCBD2020.

kellyeweber's review against another edition

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This looks like a fantastic series for youth. I appreciated the historical context and glossary and also am glad to see it is written by a Chinese American author.

america_maxon1096's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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