Leah Braves the Flood
A Great Molasses Flood Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Leah dreams of leaving behind the crowded streets of Boston's North End neighborhood to journey west. It's the only way she'll have the future she wants - one that doesn't involve her getting married or working in a factory. But then the molasses tank at the local plant explodes, sweeping through the city streets. The wave destroys everything in its path, and suddenly Leah must fight to survive if she wants to have any future at all.
Carrie and the Great Storm
A Galveston Hurricane Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Twelve-year-old Carrie is excited to spend the night at her best friend Betsy's house one Saturday night in the turn of the century Galveston, Texas. But when her parents receive a last-minute invitation to a high-society party, they insist Carrie stay home to babysit her little brother, Henry. Despite a storm brewing - and Carrie's protests over the change in plans - her parents go to the party. As the storm approaches, the streets begin flooding. Henry is scared, and Carrie tries to calm him. But then hurricane hits, and the house is shaken from its foundation. Carrie must make some quick decisions to save herself and her little brother from the Great Galveston Hurricane. Readers can learn the real story of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 from the nonfiction backmatter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Emmi in the City
A Great Chicago Fire Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Although Emmi has lived in Chicago for two years, she finds it hard to love her adopted city. As a German immigrant in the early 1870s, she's often teased by her America-born peers. But when the Great Fire breaks out on October 8, 1871, Emmi and her enemies find themselves braving the smoke and flames together. Can Emmi and the others survive the danger to escape the burning city? Readers can learn the real story of the Great Chicago Fire from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Tara and the Towering Wave
An Indian Ocean Tsunami Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
When her mother announces a holiday vacation to Thailand, Tara isn't thrilled. She'd rather stay home with her friends, but Mom is determined they use the girls' trip to explore their Thai heritage. Tara is reluctant to travel so far from home, especially to a country she doesn't feel connected to. But then disaster strikes. The day after Christmas, a massive tsunami sweeps through Phuket, Thailand. Tara's resort vacation suddenly becomes a fight to survive - and find her mother in the wreckage.
Rebecca Rides for Freedom
An American Revolution Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
The American Revolution is raging in Philadelphia, and Rebecca is determined to do all she can to help. With her father stationed with Washington's army at nearby Whitemarsh, it's up to Rebecca to help her mother at home with her younger siblings. That includes selling vegetables to British officers stationed in wealthy houses nearby. When Rebecca intercepts a message about an impending British attack against the Patriots from one such house, she knows she has to act. It's up to her to get the message to the Patriot army - before it's too late.
Maddy and the Monstrous Storm
A Schoolhouse Blizzard Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Thirteen-year-old Maddy Rollag finds it hard to adjust to life on her aunt and uncle's farm in Dakota Territory. Her schoolmates think she's spoiled, and Aunt Marta makes it clear that Maddy is not fit for farm life. Maddy desperately misses her father and life back home in St. Paul, Minnesota. But on January 12, 1888, everything changes. A blizzard traps Maddy and her classmates inside their schoolhouse. If they stay in the schoolhouse, they'll freeze, but the risk of trying to escape and getting lost in the blizzard is equally dangerous. Will Maddy and her schoolmates survive? This Girls Survive story is supported by a glossary, discussion questions, and nonfiction material on the Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888, making it a valuable resource for young readers.
Nina Under Arrest
A Birmingham Children's Crusade Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
It's May 1963, and twelve-year-old Nina Norris is answering a call from civil rights leaders in Birmingham, Alabama. Black Americans are demanding the right to vote, but adults who protest risk losing their jobs. So, children are protesting in their place. As Nina prepares for her day, she knows she will likely be arrested and put in jail, but it's a price she is willing to pay so that all people can have a say in their government. Readers can learn the real story of the Birmingham Children's Crusade from the nonfiction back matter in this “Girls Survive” story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Audrey Under the Big Top
A Hartford Circus Fire Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Twelve-year-old Audrey wants nothing more than to be a dance performer and aerialist, but that feels far from reality in 1944 Hartford, Connecticut. So when she learns the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is coming to town, Audrey is determined to be there under the big top. It's her only chance to see the Flying Wallendas, a world-renowned highwire act, perform. Audrey convinces her mother to let her take her six-year-old twin sisters with her to the show. But disaster strikes when a fire breaks out under the big top. Can Audrey escape-and find her siblings-before the tent comes crashing down? Readers can learn the real story of the Hartford Circus Fire from the nonfiction backmatter, including a glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and more, in this Girls Survive story.
Fumiko and a Tokyo Tragedy
A Great Kanto Earthquake Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
12-year-old Fumiko is fascinated by the Moga girls, modern young women with short hair and casual dresses who are making their way in 1920s Tokyo. Her parents, however, expect a traditional life for her. But none of that matters when the Great Kanto Earthquake strikes the city on September 1, 1923. Can Fumiko withstand the fires and confusion that follow the shaking earth, and how will the tragedy change her future? Readers can learn the real story of the Great Kanto Earthquake from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Faye and the Dangerous Journey
An Ojibwe Removal Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In the fall of 1850, Faye and her family begin a long, difficult journey with thousands of other Ojibwe people to receive money the U.S. government owes them. But why isn't the money being delivered to them in Wisconsin, as usual? Why must they walk and canoe all the way to the middle of Minnesota in terrible weather? These are questions Faye asks, but the answers don't make sense. When her family reaches their destination, Mama is sick, and there is no money as promised. Will Faye and her family make it back home? Will there be a home to return to?
In this gripping story with nonfiction backmatter-including an author's note, discussion questions, and more-readers will learn about the traumatic events of the Sandy Lake Ojibwe removal in this “Girls Survive” historical fiction.
Anya Flees the Fallout
A Chernobyl Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Twelve-year-old Anya has a good life with her family in the town of Pripyat, not far from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. But then, one night, an explosion lights up the night sky, and something about the flames doesn't look right. Anya's father, a firefighter, is called to the plant, and soon the seriousness of the situation grows. What went wrong at the plant? What is the government not telling them? And will Anya and her family survive the fallout that follows? Readers can learn the story of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster from nonfiction backmatter, including a glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and more in this Girls Survive story.
Ann Fights for Freedom
An Underground Railroad Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Twelve-year-old Ann understands there is only one thing to be grateful for as a slave: having her family together. But when the master falls into debt, he plans to sell both Ann and her younger brother to two different owners. Ann is convinced her family must run away on the Underground Railroad. Will Ann's family survive the dangerous trip to their freedom in the North? This Girls Survive story is supported by a glossary, discussion questions, and nonfiction material on the Underground Railroad, making it a valuable resource for young readers.
Molly and the Twin Towers
A 9/11 Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Life in lower Manhattan is normal for Molly, her dads, and younger sister. But on September 11, 2001, everything changes. Molly and her younger sister, Adeline, are at school when the first plane hits the World Trade Center. When the Twin Towers fall, the city is thrown into chaos. Papa, a pilot, is flying, Dad can't be reached, and Gran, an EMT with the New York Fire Department, is at Ground Zero. It's up to Molly to find her sister and navigate a city she no longer recognizes.
Mary and the Trail of Tears
A Cherokee Removal Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Twelve-year-old Mary and her Cherokee family are forced out of their home in Georgia by U.S. soldiers in May 1838. From the beginning of the forced move, Mary and her family are separated from her father. Facing horrors such as internment, violence, disease, and harsh weather, Mary perseveres and helps keep her family and friends together until they can reach the new Cherokee nation in Indian Territory. Featuring nonfiction support material, a glossary, and reader response questions, this Girls Survive story explores the tragedy of forced removals following the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Claudia in the Storm
A Hurricane Katrina Survival Story
by Denise Walter McConduit
Part of the Girls Survive series
With Hurricane Katrina on track to hit New Orleans, twelve-year-old Claudia and her family are preparing to weather the storm. But nothing can prepare them for the awful flooding that occurs when the levees that surround the city fail. Even worse, after a chaotic helicopter evacuation, Claudia and her younger sister become separated from the rest of their family. Now it is up to Claudia to protect and comfort her sister through the tragedy. Readers can learn the real story of the Hurricane Katrina from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Ruth and the Night of Broken Glass
A World War II Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In the late summer and early fall of 1938, ten-year-old Ruth Block, along with her father, mother, and best friend, Miriam, must navigate the increasing pressure placed on the Jewish population in Frankfurt, Germany. Ruth grows more worried by the day. Her father's stationery store is shut down; she and Miriam are belittled on the street; their school is closed. Then one night in November, the family's apartment is broken into. Ruth's father is dragged into the square and arrested, along with hundreds of other Jewish men. Ruth, her family, her friends, and her community struggle to survive the fiery night and the terrifying, uncertain future ahead of them. Featuring nonfiction support material, a glossary, and reader response questions, this Girls Survive story takes readers to Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, one of history's most important moments.
Alice on the Island
A Pearl Harbor Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In 1941, thirteen-year-old Alice's days are filled with swimming in the Hawaiian sea, going to school, and helping watch her younger siblings. But on December 7, everything changes when she experiences an act of war, the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As the United States enters World War II, Alice's father is sent to a Japanese internment camp, leaving Alice and the rest of her family struggling to adjust to life without him. Featuring nonfiction support material, a glossary, and reader response questions, this Girls Survive story takes readers to one of history's most important moments.
Cora and the Terrible Twister
A Tri-State Tornado Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Cora Moffat is struggling to concentrate on her English class when her teacher's focus lands on a classroom window. As the class turns to look, they see an enormous black cloud, angry and vicious, heading their direction. When the devastating tornado hits the school, Cora does all she can to help herself and others survive the destruction and make it out of the building alive. Readers can learn the real story of the Tri-State Tornado from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Penny and the Tragic Voyage
A Lusitania Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
It is 1915, and twelve-year-old Penny and her brother Charles are embarking on a trip to England aboard the RMS Lusitania. But war is brewing overseas, and there are rumors that Germany will torpedo any ship that comes into the area, even a ship full of civilian passengers. Shy and nervous Penny is worried, but those worries fade when she makes her first real friend, a bold girl named Mary. With Mary, Penny begins to find her voice for the first time. Then, as they approach Ireland, their worst fear comes true: The Lusitania is struck by a torpedo. In the chaos of a sinking ship, Penny becomes separated from Charles and Mary, and she must gather all her courage to stay alive and face an uncertain future. This fast-paced “Girls Survive” historical fiction, with nonfiction backmatter, including an author's note, discussion questions, and more-will captivate readers as they learn the devastating story of the sinking of the Lusitania.
Millie and the Great Drought
A Dust Bowl Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In 1935, dust storms are sweeping across the southern plains of United States, including Oklahoma. Twelve-year-old Millie Horn is worried about her family's survival. The Dust Bowl is getting worse, and her family is running out of food and money. Despite the hardships, Pa doesn't want to abandon the farm, which has been in the family for generations. But when the worst "black blizzard" yet hits, they have no choice. The family decides to make the journey west, but life in California isn't without struggle. Can Millie and her family survive the Dust Bowl and the hardships of the Great Depression? Readers can learn the real story of the Dust Bowl from nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Lena and the Burning of Greenwood
A Tulsa Race Massacre Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In the early 1920s, the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the wealthiest Black community in the United States. But Tulsa is still a segregated city. "Black Wall Street" and white Tulsa are very much divided. Twelve-year-old Lena knows this, but she feels safe and sheltered from the racism in her successful, flourishing neighborhood. That all changes when Dick Rowland, a young Black man from Greenwood, is accused of assaulting a white woman. Racial tensions boil over. Mobs of white citizens attack Greenwood, terrorizing Black residents and businesses, and forcing many-including Lena and her family-to flee. Now Lena must help her family survive one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history. Readers can learn the real story of the Tulsa Race Massacre from the nonfiction backmatter, including a glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and author's note, in this Girls Survive story.
Lily and the Great Quake
A San Francisco Earthquake Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Lily is a twelve-year-old Chinese American girl living in San Francisco's Chinatown when an earthquake destroys her home and sets her neighborhood on fire. Separated from her parents, 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? Readers can learn the real story of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake from the nonfiction backmatter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Maribel Versus the Volcano
A Mount St. Helens Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In 1980s Washington state, Mt. St. Helens is rumbling. Twelve-year-old Maribel isn't concerned at first, despite officials evacuating her neighborhood. Her family is convinced it's just a precaution, even as the mountain continues to rumble. Maribel decides to disobey orders and return home for items she and her sister left behind - just as the volcano finally erupts. As ash rains down, Maribel realizes she must learn to focus if she's going to survive.
Maria and the Plague
A Black Death Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Years of bad weather and natural disasters have choked Italy's food supply, and the people of Florence are dying of starvation. Breadlines are battlegrounds, and young Maria has to fight for her family's every loaf. Adding to the misery, the Black Plague is rapidly spreading through the country, killing everyone in its path. Maria has already lost her mother and sister. Will she be strong enough to save the rest of her family before it's too late?
Charlotte Spies for Justice
A Civil War Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Twelve-year-old Charlotte lives on a plantation in Richmond, Virginia, where the American Civil War is raging. All around her, citizens and the Confederate army are fighting to protect slavery - the very thing Charlotte wishes would end. When she overhears the plantation owner conspiring against the Confederates, Charlotte knows she must join forces with her. Maybe together they can help the Union win the war and end slavery. Helping a spy is dangerous work, but Charlotte is willing to risk everything to fight for what is right - justice for all people. Nonfiction material on the Civil War, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Constance and the Dangerous Crossing
A Mayflower Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Fifteen-year-old Constance is looking forward to a new life in the New World. There's nothing left for her in England-no family and no future. She agrees to set sail on the Mayflower, along with her employer. But the ocean crossing is harder than anyone anticipated, and the journey is riddled with dangerous obstacles. Will Constance live to see the New World, or will she and the other passengers be lost at sea?
Daisy and the Deadly Flu
A 1918 Influenza Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In 1918, fourteen-year-old Daisy's family has fallen on hard times. Her sister Elsie's fiance was recently deployed to fight in World War I, and her father's newspaper was forced to shut down for criticizing the U.S. entrance into the war. When the Spanish Flu arrives in her small town in Minnesota, Daisy tries to shield her loved ones from the devastating illness. As the influenza pandemic sweeps through the nation, can Daisy protect those closest to home? Featuring nonfiction support material, a glossary, and reader response questions, this Girls Survive story takes readers to one of history's most important moments.
Essie and the March on Selma
A Bloody Sunday Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Twelve-year-old Essie believes that Black people should be allowed to vote, and she's willing to march for that right. On Sunday, March 7, 1965, she puts on her best dress to join protesters as they plan to visit the governor in Montgomery, Alabama. But as the 600 marchers approach the Edmund Pettis bridge in Selma, they are stopped by state troopers. Can Essie survive blows, tear gas, and being sprayed with a water hose to continue her fight for voting rights? Readers can learn the real story of Selma's Bloody Sunday from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Flor Fights Back
A Stonewall Riots Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
After Flor's mother dies in early 1969, she is left with her grandmother who refuses to accept Flor's identity as a trans girl. Flor decides that in order to be true to herself, she must leave home. She makes friends with Tami, a trans teenager, and the two girls meet adults who help them make their way in the queer and trans community of New York City. Invited to meet up with some new friends, the girls sneak into the Stonewall Inn on a night that leads to a police raid and violence. Will Flor escape the riot and continue her fight to live as she is? Readers can learn the real story of the Stonewall Riots from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Hettie and the London Blitz
A World War II Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
London schoolgirl Hettie hears the whispers and sees the worry creeping across her parents' faces. She watches as the windows in her home are blacked out. She helps her dad build a bomb shelter. She learns how to wear a gas mask. War, led by Adolf Hitler, is stomping its feet at Great Britain's doorstep, and Hettie knows only one thing for certain: When the bombs come, it will take all the courage she has to be brave and survive.
Sarah Journeys West
An Oregon Trail Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In the midst of the California Gold Rush, twelve-year-old Sarah and her family are living in the North as free Black people. Seeking a better life, Sarah's parents decide they will venture west on the Oregon Trail. On the trail, Sarah and her family face all kinds of hardship, including racism, extreme weather, difficult terrain, and disease. But the journey will be worth it if they can find fortune in California. Will Sarah and her family endure the trail and make a new life out west? Nonfiction material on the Oregon Trail, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.
Noelle at Sea
A Titanic Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Thirteen-year-old Noelle feels like the luckiest girl in the world to be cruising the Atlantic aboard the famed Titanic. The trip is made even better by her new friend, Pauline, a girl who is traveling with her father to live in America. The girls spend the first days of the journey exploring, but on the fifth night, Noelle awakes to a sinking ship. Women and children will be rescued first, and Noelle realizes motherless Pauline will be left all alone. Despite her parents' wishes, Noelle breaks away from her family to find and help her friend. Nonfiction information, a gloassary, and reader response questions make up the back matter of this Girls Survive story.
Min and the Protests
A Tiananmen Square Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
Thirteen-year-old Min knows a lot about protesting, as both her parents are activists. But Min has yet to attend a protest. That all changes in June of 1989 when Min follows her parents to Tiananmen Square, where thousands of peaceful protestors are asking for political and economic changes. When the prime minister calls in the military, the peaceful protests become dangerous. Min is separated from her parents, and the square is filled with violence. Min's life will forever be changed after the Tiananmen Square protests.
Lucy Fights the Flames
A Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Survival Story
Part of the Girls Survive series
In 1911, fourteen-year-old Lucy Morelli lives with her parents, older brother, and several youngers siblings in a crowded apartment in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Lucy dreams of going to college, but her Italian immigrant family relies heavily on her income from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory to survive. Lucy finds the factory work boring, but the working conditions are better than many other jobs. But when Lucy and her best friend, Rosie, head to work one Saturday in March, everything changes. Fire breaks out in the factory, and the doors are locked, trapping hundreds of workers inside. Lucy must battle the flames to save her own life - and Rosie's. Readers can learn the real story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, one of the deadliest industrial disaster's in U.S. history, from the nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.