Scholastic’s Dear America series is an excellent means to expose kids to important events in American history. With over forty books to choose from, each written by a well-known author, young readers will be transported to different time periods. Each engaging story is written in a similar format — a diary composed by a fictitious young woman.

In Dear America: A City Tossed and Broken, Minnie Bonner recounts her survival of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Penned by Judy Blundell, 2008 National Book Award Winner, Minnie’s account is dramatic yet realistic and astounding. Minnie is a brave and tenacious heroine whose story lends itself to discussion (as the natural disaster creates several ethical and moral situations like looting, bribery, and changing one’s identity). Readers will also appreciate the black and white photos and historical notes at the end. 

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Scholastic

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  Reports of people killed or trapped in collapsed buildings; a character sees bodies of the deceased (non-detailed); massive fires destroy property; three characters die in the earthquake without much detail. 

Sex/Nudity:  None

Mature Subject Matter:

Death, natural disasters, looting, bribery, gambling.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None