Booklist: San Francisco!

Recently, I traveled to the West Coast, where I spent some time with friends in and around San Francisco.  Before I went, I did a lot of reading up on the area.  Ever since I read Phyllis Whitney’s The Mystery of the Green Cat, San Francisco was somewhere I always wanted to visit.  And now I have!

I was going to do a “Five Books Featuring” post on the Bay Area, but there are just so MANY books out there…even when whittled down to just what’s in our middle grade collection!  So here is a booklist—divided into three parts—of books based in and around San Francisco.  Enjoy!

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Historical
From Barbary Pirates to the Gold Rush to the earthquakes of 1906 and 1989…

Gold Rush Girl by Avi

Victoria Blaisdell longs for independence and adventure, and she yearns to accompany her father as he sails west in search of real gold! But it is 1848, and Tory isn’t even allowed to go to school, much less travel all the way from Rhode Island to California. Determined to take control of her own destiny, Tory stows away on the ship. Though San Francisco is frenzied and full of wild and dangerous men, Tory finds freedom and friendship there. When Tory’s father loses his job and decides to seek a share of the newly discovered gold in California, Tory stows away on the westbound ship carrying her father and younger brother, Jacob. Though San Francisco is mud-caked, frenzied, and full of wild and dangerous men, Tory quickly finds friends and independence – until her father leaves for the gold fields and the care of Jacob falls to her. Then Jacob vanishes, kidnapped, perhaps hidden among the hundreds of ships – called Rotten Row – that have been abandoned in the bay. If he is there, Tory must find him in a treacherous search. Tory comes close to losing everything in her quest for her own and her brother’s freedom.

Lily and the Great Quake by Veeda Bybee

Lily is the oldest of three children; a Chinese American girl living in San Francisco’s Chinatown. When the 1906 earthquake destroys her home and sets her neighborhood on fire. Her family survives the quake, but the as the city starts to burn, Lily is separated from her parents and Lily must help her younger brother and neighbor escape San Francisco. As the city burns, Lily struggles to keep her group close as they face peril and racism. Will Lily be reunited with her parents and make it across the bay to the safety of Oakland?  Will the rest of the family and friends be there waiting for them?  Between the fire and the anti-Chinese violence it is not certain that any of them will survive.

Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko

San Francisco, 1900. The Gilded Age. A fantastic time to be alive for lots of people . . . but not thirteen-year-old Lizzie Kennedy, stuck at Miss Barstow’s snobby school for girls. Lizzie’s secret passion is science, an unsuitable subject for finishing-school girls. Lizzie lives to go on house calls with her physician father. On those visits to his patients, she discovers a hidden dark side of the city–a side that’s full of secrets, rats, and rumors of the plague.  The newspapers, her powerful uncle, and her beloved papa all deny that the plague has reached San Francisco. So why is the heart of the city under quarantine? Why are angry mobs trying to burn Chinatown to the ground? Why is Noah, the Chinese cook’s son, suddenly making Lizzie question everything she has known to be true? Ignoring the rules of race and class, Lizzie and Noah must put the pieces together in a heart-stopping race to save the people they love. 

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Murderers, mob bosses, and convicts…these guys are not your average neighbors. But it’s 1935, and Moose Flanagan and his family have just moved to Alcatraz, the infamous island that’s home to criminals such as notorious escapee Roy Gardner, Machine Gun Kelly, and, of course, Al Capone.  Mosse doesn’t actually get to meet the cons; but he does meet Piper Williams, the warden’s daughter, who comes up with so many schemes that she might as well be a criminal! Now Moose has to try to fit in at his new school, keep his parents happy, avoid getting caught up in Piper’s countless plots, and keep an eye on his sister, Natalie, who’s not like other kids. All Moose wants to do is stay out of trouble. But on Alcatraz, trouble is never very far away.

Quake! By Joe Cottonwood

With their parents attending the 1989 World Series, Fran stays home with her bratty brother, Sidney, and Jennie, a visiting friend. Their reunion is awkward until the earthquake shakes them into action: they lift a Volkswagen off a neighbor, turn off combustible propane tanks, and help at the school emergency shelter. The hours and days after the quake are a time in which the Fran and their neighbors fumble toward survival, showing themselves to be “the best kind of hero…an everyday sort.” With unsettling realism, Franny describes the aftershocks, the struggle to rebuild homes and lives, the triumphs of restoring basic services, and the steps she and her family take to re-establish their lives.  Together, they become closer as they cope with the frightening events.

By the Great Horn Spoon! By Sid Fleischmann

When Jack’s aunt is forced to sell her beloved mansion but is still unable to raise enough money to pay her debts, the twelve-year-old goes to California in search of gold to help her. Joined by his trusty butler, Praiseworthy, Jack finds adventure and trouble at every turn. Brimming with riveting adventure, the story is set during the Gold Rush. The fast-moving plot follows the high spirited young Jack and Praiseworthy set out to strike it rich in order to support the financially strapped and beloved Aunt Arabella. As Jack and the loyal butler travel by sea and land, the pair meet a series of memorable characters such as the daring, crusty sea Captain Swain and the diabolical Cut-Eye Higgins. Will Jack strike gold in San Francisco or come home empty-handed?

Earthquake at Dawn by Kristiana Gregory

It’s April 18, 1906, and a powerful earthquake has just rocked San Francisco. Photographer Edith Irvine and her teenage assistant, Daisy Valentine, survive the tragedy. Armed with Edith’s camera, the two young women set out to document the devastation–even as buildings crumble around them and soldiers promise to shoot anyone trying to photograph the crippled city.  Based on the real-life experience of photographer Edith Irvine, this harrowing tale of bravery and survival includes many of Irvine’s now-famous photographs.

Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret

Just off the coast of California, north of San Francisco, Jonathan Palmer is camping with his family on deserted Magpie Island. When his mother breaks her ankle, it is nearly a mile to get to the car; because Jonathan’s sister Abby uses a walker, her progress on the trail would be too slow for such an emergency.  So Jonathan and Abby stay at the camp while their parents go to the hospital.  But it’s October, 1989, and suddenly, without warning, an earthquake hits…the biggest since the 1906 quake.  Jonathan and Abby are stranded, and Jonathan must find a way to keep himself, his partially paralyzed younger sister, and their dog alive until help arrives.

Ranger in Time: Escape from the Great Earthquake by Kate Messner

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, helps two new friends survive the Great San Francisco Earthquake!  Ranger travels to San Francisco and meets Lily Chen. She was sent from China to America to work as a young servant, but she dreams of studying to be a doctor. When the Great Earthquake hits, Ranger arrives in time to rescue Lily from falling beams in the mission house where she lives. Together they flee to safety, stopping to help another girl, May Wong, save her little brother from the family’s collapsed market. Lily and May try to make their way through the ruined city with Ranger at their side. But can they escape crumbling buildings and raging fires, all while facing anti-Chinese discrimination?  As they make their way through the ruined and burning city Ranger finds that he must also accomplish something else–finding Lily a new family who will care for her.  Read all of Ranger’s time-traveling adventures.

I Survived the Sand Francisco Earthquake, 1906 by Lauren Tarshis

Leo loves being a newsboy in San Francisco — not only does he get to make some money to help his family, he’s free to explore the amazing, hilly city as it changes and grows with the new century. Horse-drawn carriages share the streets with shiny new automobiles, new businesses and families move in every day from everywhere, and anything seems possible. But early one spring morning, everything changes. Leo’s world is shaken — literally — and he finds himself stranded in the middle of San Francisco as it crumbles and burns to the ground. Does Leo have what it takes to survive this devastating disaster?

The Earth Dragon Awakes by Laurence Yep

At home on Sacramento Street, Henry Travis hears a low rumbling. It sounds like a train coming.  But then windows rattle, doors thump.  There’s a crash above him.  Across town in Chinatown, Henry’s friend Chin waits for the trembling to stop.  But it goes on and on and on…  When the quake subsides, Chin and Henry and their families are lucky to be alive. But now they must escape the fires that have broken out and find their way to safety-before it’s too late.  Will Henry and Chin survive to see each other again?

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Mysteries, Adventures and Realistic Fiction
From mysterious mansions to treasure hunts to just hanging out in the city with friends…

Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison

Ever since her father died, kooky Gilda Joyce has been working hard to sharpen her psychic skills. She’s determined to communicate with spirits from the Other Side and become a crack investigator of spooky, twisted mysteries. After wrangling an invitation to visit San Francisco relatives, Gilda discovers just how much her dreary, tight-lipped uncle and his strange, delicate daughter need her help to uncover the terrible family secret that has a tortured ghost stalking their home.  From poignant to hair-raising and hilarious, this is a behind-the-scenes, tell-all account of the very first case in the illustrious career of Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator.  Read all the titles!

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

For Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it’s the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger–a game where books are hidden in cities all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles. Upon her arrival, however, Emily learns that Griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold himself, and might contain the only copy of his mysterious new game.  Racing against time, Emily and James rush from clue to clue, desperate to figure out the secret at the heart of Griswold’s new game–before those who attacked Griswold come after them too.  Make sure to read the rest of the series–Alcatraz Escape and The Unbreakable Code—where Emily and James must solve other clues and solve puzzles around San Francisco!

The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy by Clive Cussler

Take a look at Casey and Lacey Nicefolk and you’ll see two regular, all-American kids. But these brother-and-sister twins have a secret. Hidden in the family barn is the most magical-and coolest-gadget unknown to man: a mystical box that can turn any small object into a life-size replica.  When the twins’ parents go out of town, the two decide to put the box to use. Taking a model boat, they create a fully functioning powerboat and enter a race up the Sacramento River from San Francisco. But this is no ordinary boat, and this is no ordinary race. What follows is a nautical adventure where being the first to cross the finish line is not the only prize.

Kidnap on the California Comet by M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

Amateur sleuth Hal Beck is excited to embark on an adventurous journey with his journalist Uncle Nat. This time, they’re set to ride the historic California Comet from Chicago to San Francisco.  Hal mostly keeps to himself on the trip, feeling homesick and out of place in America. But he soon finds himself drawn into another mystery when the young daughter of a billionaire tech entrepreneur goes missing!  Along with new friends–spunky Mason and his younger sister, Hadley–Hal races against the clock to find the missing girl before the California Comet reaches its final destination.  Read Hal’s other Adventures on Trains as well.

Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido

Emmy is the only one in her family who can’t make music to save her life. And now that her dad’s symphony job has uprooted her to San Francisco and a new school, everything seems even more off-key than usual.  Until a computer class changes her tune—Emmy discovers that her coding skills can really sing! Now life is starting to seem a little more upbeat, especially with computer whiz and possible best friend Abigail around to share tips and tricks with. But can Emmy hold on to her new-found confidence with bad news and big secrets just around the corner, or will her new life come to a screeching halt?

City Spies: Golden Gate by James Ponti

After thwarting a notorious villain at an eco-summit in Paris, the City Spies are gearing up for their next mission. Operating out of a base in Scotland, this secret team of young agents working for the British Secret Intelligence Service’s MI6 division have honed their unique skills, such as sleight of hand, breaking and entering, observation, and explosives. All of these allow them to go places in the world of espionage where adults can’t.  
Sydney is a surfer and a rebel from Bondi Beach, Australia. She’s also a field ops specialist for the City Spies. Sydney is excited to learn that she’ll be going undercover on the marine research vessel the Sylvia Earle. But things don’t go exactly as planned, and while Sydney does find herself in the spotlight, it’s not in the way she was hoping.  Meanwhile, there’s been some new intel regarding a potential mole within the organization, offering the spies a lead that takes them to San Francisco, California. But as they investigate a spy who died at the Botanical Gardens, they discover that they are also being investigated. And soon, they’re caught up in an exciting adventure filled with rogue missions and double agents!   This mission is hot! The City Spies are a go!  Read all the City Spies adventures as they globe-trot through famous locations.

The Puzzle of the Paper Daughter by Kathyn Reiss

When Julie discovers a mysterious note written in Chinese, she brings it to her friend Ivy to translate. The note speaks of a story from long ago, but doesn’t quite make sense. Julie suspects it may be written in a secret code.  That same night, the girls’ beloved dolls are stolen. As Julie and Ivy search Chinatown, they decipher clues in the note that seem to link the stolen dolls to a long-lost friendship, and maybe a long-lost treasure.  Then they realize that they aren’t the only ones trying to figure out the message’s puzzle…

The Silver Guitar by Kathryn Reiss

When an oil spill threatens the sea birds of San Francisco, Julie is eager to lend a hand. So when she learns that her friend T.J. is helping with an auction to raise money for the clean-up efforts, she decides to get involved, and she’s thrilled to find out that a valuable silver guitar that belonged to a famous rock star will be sold as part of the auction!  But then she finds out that T.J. is in trouble, and Julie just can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something from her. As Julie sets out to follow the clues and prove T.J. is innocent, the guitar begins to reveal it’s secrets…and Julie realizes that both she and T.J. may be in danger… Read all of the adventures of American Girl Julie and her best friend Ivy in San Francisco

Love, Penelope by Joanna Rocklin

Penny is excited to welcome her new sibling, so throughout her mom’s pregnancy she writes letters to it (not it, YOU!). She introduces herself (Penelope, but she prefers “Penny”) and their moms (Sammy and Becky). She brags about their home city, Oakland, California (the weather, the Bay, and the Golden State Warriors) and shares the trials and tribulations of being a fifth-grader (which, luckily, YOU won’t have to worry about for a long time).  Penny asks little questions about her sibling’s development and starts to ask big questions about the world around her (like if and when her moms are ever going to get married “for real”).  Honest, relatable, and full of heart, Love, Penelope explores heritage, forgiveness, love, and identity through the eyes (and pen) of one memorable 10-year-old in a special year when marriage equality and an NBA championship made California a place of celebration.

Parked by Danielle Svetcov

Jeanne Ann is smart, stubborn, living in an orange van, and determined to find a permanent address before the start of seventh grade. Cal is awkward, sensitive, living in a humongous house across the street, and determined to save her. Jeanne Ann wants Cal’s help just about as much as she wants to live in a van.  As the two form a tentative friendship that grows deeper over alternating chapters, they’re buoyed by a cast of complex, oddball characters, who let them down, lift them up, and leave you cheering.  A warm, funny and poignant story about the wonderful weirdness of friendship and family, and learning how to accept help enough to help yourself.

I, Q: Alcatraz by Roland Smith and Michael P. Spradlin

With the nation reeling from the recent terrorist attacks, Q and Angela leave Chicago and arrive in San Francisco. Their parents are determined to continue the Match tour but for safety’s sake, they have decided to send Q and Angela to boarding school. Not happy at the thought of being taken off the trail of the ghost cell, Q and Angela race against time with Boone and the SOS team to find Number One, the leader of the world’s most feared terrorist organization. It’s the final showdown of the I,Q series.
This is the final book of the adventerous IQ series.  In the books, Q and Angela travel all over the world. Starting with the last one probably won’t work very well, so you’ll just have to read the first five to have this one make sense!

The Mystery in San Francisco by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny are visiting San Francisco.  They see the Golden Gate Bridge, ride the cable cars, and eat in Chinatown. On Fisherman’s Wharf, they meet Charlie, who takes the Alden kids and their grandfather for a ride on his fishing boat. But while they’re enjoying the trip, they discover that someone is giving Charlie trouble. Unexplainable things are happening–like the fresh fish he delivers mysteriously disappear, and his fishing nets are cut. This seems like something deliberate, not accidental. Does someone want Charlie out of the fishing business? Can the Boxcar Children solve this mystery? Book #57 in this beloved series! (And these you can read out of order…as long as you read the first one first!)

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Fantasy 
who knew so many fantasy books begin in San Francisco?

House of Secrets by Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini

Siblings Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker once had everything they could ever want. But everything changed when Dr. Walker lost his job. Now the family must relocate to an old Victorian house, formerly the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff–a house that simultaneously feels creepy and too good to be true. By the time the Walkers realize that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they’re banished to a primeval forest way off the grid.  Bloodthirsty medieval warriors patrol the woods around them, supernatural pirates roam the neighboring seas, and a power-hungry queen rules the land. To survive, the siblings will have to be braver than they ever thought possible–and to fight against their darkest impulses. The key may lie in their own connection to the secret Kristoff legacy. But as they unravel that legacy, they’ll discover that it’s not just their family that’s in danger . . . it’s the entire world.  Read the entire House of Secrets trilogy.

The Selkie of San Francisco by Todd Calgi Gallicano

Sam London didn’t mean to uncover an ancient secret, but when he found out that mythical creatures are real and living in our national parks, he became the newest recruit to the Department of Mythical Wildlife. Ever since, the middle schooler has been anxiously awaiting the call for his next case . . . and it finally arrives with the brazen appearance of a selkie in San Francisco Bay.  Along with Dr. Vance Vantana and the guardian Tashi, Sam pursues the selkie, who has taken a peculiar interest in fashion’s newest “it” girl and social media star, Pearl Eklund. But the closer he gets, the more questions emerge about Pearl’s mysterious connection to the mythical world. Is she the long-lost hope for an entire civilization or the harbinger of its doom? It’s up to Sam to find out the truth, and fast. . . . The fate of humanity hangs in the balance.  Read all the Sam London Adventures.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Nicholas Flamel is the greatest Alchemyst to ever live. The records show that he died in 1418, but what if he’s actually been making the elixir of life for centures?  The secrets to eternal life are hidden within a book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It’s the most powerful book that has ever existed, and in the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. And that’s exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it.  There is only one hope…  While working at pleasant but mundane summer jobs in San Francisco, twins Sophie and Josh suddenly find themselves caught up in the deadly, centuries-old struggle between the rival alchemists.  Are they just in the wrong place at the wrong time?  Or are they the end of the prophecy that will save the world..?  Read all the books in this exciting series–and look for the new graphic novel coming out next summer!

The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott and Robin Robinson

Sheltered within her high-society world, Isabel plays the part of a perfectly proper little girl–she’s quiet, well-behaved, and she keeps her dresses spotlessly clean. She’s certainly not the kind of girl who goes on adventures.  But that all changes when Isabel breaches an invisible barrier and steps into another world. She discovers a city not unlike her own, but magical and dangerous. Here, war rages between the fairies of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Only Isabel, with the help of a magical necklace and a few new friends, stands a chance of ending the war before it destroys the fairy world, and maybe her own as well…

City of Fire by Laurence Yep

When her older sister dies trying to prevent the theft of one of her people’s great treasures, twelve-year-old Scirye sets out to avenge her and recover the precious item. Helping her are Bayang, a dragon disguised as a Pinkerton agent; Leech, a boy with powers he has not yet discovered; and Leech’s loyal companion Koko, who has a secret of his own. All have a grudge against the thieves who stole the treasure: the evil dragon Badik and the mysterious Mr. Roland.  Scirye and her companions pursue the thieves from San Francisco to Houlani, a new Hawaiian island being created by magic. There, they befriend Pele, the volatile and mercurial goddess of volcanoes. But even with Pele on their side, they may not be able to stop Mr. Roland from gaining what he seeks: the Five Lost Treasures of Emperor Yu. Together, the treasures will give him the power to alter the very fabric of the universe.  Be sure to read the entire trilogy!

A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep & Joanne Ryder

Crusty dragon Miss Drake has a new pet human, precocious Winnie. Oddly enough, Winnie seems to think Miss Drake is her pet-a ridiculous notion!  Unknown to most of its inhabitants, the City by the Bay is home to many mysterious and fantastic creatures, hidden beneath the parks, among the clouds, and even in plain sight. And Winnie wants to draw every new creature she encounters- the good, the bad, and the ugly. But Winnie’s sketchbook is not what it seems. Somehow, her sketchlings have been set loose on the city streets! It will take Winnie and Miss Drake’s combined efforts to put an end to the mayhem . . . before it’s too late.  Read the trilogy.

Tiger’s Apprentice by Laurence Yep

Tom Lee’s life changes forever the day he meets a talking tiger named Mr. Hu and discovers that he has magical powers and great responsibilities that he never imagined. Despite his doubts and fears, Tom joins Mr. Hu’s ragtag band of creatures in their fight to keep an ancient talisman out of the hands of the worst possible enemy.  This action-packed fantasy reveals a hidden world within our own where animals take human form, where friendship is the final weapon in the battle between good and evil, and where a young boy is responsible for saving the world he knows . . . and the one he is just discovering.  Read the whole trilogy–and watch for a movie, based on the trilogy, when it comes out in the near future!

The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao

As a member of the Jade Society, twelve-year-old Faryn Liu dreams of honoring her family and the gods by becoming a warrior. But the Society has shunned Faryn and her brother Alex ever since their father disappeared years ago, forcing them to train in secret.  Then, during an errand into San Francisco, Faryn stumbles into a battle with a demon–and helps defeat it. She just might be the fabled Heaven Breaker, a powerful warrior meant to work for the all-mighty deity, the Jade Emperor, by commanding an army of dragons to defeat the demons. That is, if she can prove her worth and find the island of the immortals before the Lunar New Year.  With Alex and other unlikely allies at her side, Faryn sets off on a daring quest across Chinatowns. But becoming the Heaven Breaker will require more sacrifices than she first realized. . . What will Faryn be willing to give up to claim her destiny?  A new series for fans of Percy Jackson!

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Some older titles our library no longer has,
but are worth looking for if you’re a San Francisco fan:

Book covers were supposed to be in alphabetical order, but they had a mind of their own.
The books are in alphabetical order by author below:

Hitch at the Fairmont by Jim Averbeck
Someone is Hiding on Alcatraz Island by EveBunting
Bridge of Time by Lewis Buzbee
Into the Firestorm by Deborah Hopkinson
Searching for Candlestick Park by Peg Kehret
Quake! Disaster in San Francisco By Gail Langer Karwoski
Newsgirl By Liza Ketchum
Three Pennies by Melanie Krowder
Earthquake! A story of old San Francisco By Kathleen Kudlinski
I Am Lavina Cumming by Susan Lowell
You’re Bacon Me Crazy by Suzanne Nelson
Mystery at Thunderbolt House by Howard Pease
Paperquake by Kathryn Reiss
The Strange Case of Baby H by Kathryn Reiss
Peppermints in the Parlor by Barbara Brooks Wallace
The Mystery of the Green Cat by Phyllis Whitney
The Case of the Lion Dancer by Laurence Yep
Child of the Owl by Laurence Yep

I’ve read all but two of the books above, and they are excellent books! Most are out of print or difficult to locate.
However, some are still available at other Minuteman Libraries or through Interlibrary Loan.

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One of the best things to do if you’re planning to travel is to read a book set in the place you’re traveling to…or bring it with you and compare it to the location! It always makes it more fun if you can recognize places, or know a little of the history. So you should always do some reading before (or after, which can be fun too!) your travels. As always, if you need help finding these, or any other books, in our collection, just ask one of our librarians. We love matching kids and books!

Happy Reading!
::Kelly::