Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A City Tossed and Broken by Judy Blundell - ADVISABLE


Blundell, Judy A City Tossed and Broken: San Francisco, California, 1906: The Diary of Minnie Bonner (Dear America), 197 p. Scholastic, 2013.  Content: PG (danger from the earthquake and threats).  

Minnie Bonner is a virtual slave – sold for two years of work as a lady’s maid to a family moving from Philadelphia to San Francisco, working off a debt incurred by her father.  The man of the house is involved in shady dealings and he is the actual cause of her family’s downfall.  So when a gigantic earthquake puts opportunity in her way, Minnie decides to grasp a better life with both hands.  Sometimes it takes a real danger to keep us honest.  Blundell does a reasonable job of integrating the earthquake into Minnie’s story.  What she does best is show life at the time, including the good and the ugly of humanity, from friendships to scheming businessmen.  

It is very nice to see new entries in the Dear America series and new covers for the older books.  I am hoping that my students will enjoy them as much as the kids did ten years ago.  

EL, MS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

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