california

"Drought has settled on the town of Peaches, California. The area of the Central Valley where fourteen-year-old Lacey May and her alcoholic mother live was once an agricultural paradise. Now it's an environmental disaster, a place of cracked earth and barren raisin farms. In their desperation, residents have turned to a cult leader named Pastor Vern for guidance. He promises, through secret 'assignments,' to bring the rain everybody is praying for"--Jacket flap.

Lost in the Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and finds himself entwined in a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica--and decades later three children, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California find themselves caught up in the same thread of destiny in the darkest days of the twentieth century, struggling to keep their families intact, and tied together by the music of the same harmonica.

In 1930, a wealthy, privileged young Mexican girl must find strength she never knew she had--and hope despite difficult circumstances--when her father is murdered and she and her mother begin work in a California labor camp.

"When nine-year-old Li, her mother, and brother Puck arrive from China at Angel Island immigration center in 1921, Li fears she will be deported for failing the tests. Includes historical notes and glossary"--OCLC.

In 1937, a prison guard's only daughter has gone missing. Inmate Tommy is the only one who knows the truth, but both of their lives depend on the search's outcome. Two decades earlier, a boy named Shanley dreams of shedding his dingy existence and finding his real father in America. When the chance comes to cross the Atlantic, he must use all of his ingenuity to survive a volatile and foreign world.

Interesting and informative historical background on the California Gold Rush and the role of Mexicans and Californios in the area at the time round out this fun and informative volume.

"In a strange alternate society that values law and truth above all else, Laszlo Ratesic is a nineteen-year veteran of the Speculative Service. He lives in the Golden State, a nation standing where California once did, a place where like-minded Americans retreated after the erosion of truth and the spread of lies made public life and governance impossible. In the Golden State, knowingly contradicting the truth is the greatest crime--and stopping those crimes is Laz's job. In its service, he is one of the few individuals permitted to harbor untruths, to "speculate" on what might have happened. But the Golden State is less a paradise than its name might suggest. To monitor, verify, and enforce the truth requires a veritable panopticon of surveillance and recording. And when those in control of the facts twist them for nefarious means, the Speculators are the only ones with the power to fight back"--Provided by publisher.

"Just turned twelve, Lily is the oldest of the three children in her Chinese American family living in San Francisco when the 1906 earthquake hits; her family has survived the quake, but as the city starts to burn Lily and her younger brother are separated from the others and must get to the safety of Oakland across the bay and hope that the rest of their family and friends are there waiting for them--but between the fire and the anti-Chinese violence it is not certain that any of them will survive. Includes nonfiction backmatter, a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts"--OCLC.

When thirteen-year-old Tessa's father remarries months after her mother's death and moves them to California, Tessa must build a new life and friendships, while fighting a compulsion about missing children.

"When she was only eight years old, Sylvia Mendez was part of a legal battle that ended segregation for Hispanic students in California. Seven years later, that barrier-breaking court case set a precedent for ending segregation across the country for students of all races and backgrounds. With this biography, readers will learn how Sylvia Mendez's parents fought for Hispanic students in California, how Mendez herself persevered through court cases and harassment at her new school, and how she is fighting for students. A timeline and sidebars illustrate the connections between Mendez and other court cases for equality"--Provided by publisher.