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Chasing Secrets


Chasing Secrets
by Gennifer Choldenko
Random House, 2015.  Fiction, 278 p

Lizzy attends Miss Barstow's finishing school where she learns etiquette and decorum, but she would rather be out doing house calls with her physician father. It is 1900 and Lizzy lives in San Francisco, a teaming city with a growing China Town. When there are rumors of a plague epidemic China Town is quarantined, but the way the quarantine is carried out doesn't seem right to Lizzy.  Her suspicions grow when she meets a quarantine refugee, Noah, and discovers that the newspapers are not telling the whole story.  Together Noah, some other new friends, and Lizzy go on a crusade to find out what is really happening. This is an interesting and exciting new historical fiction by a Newbery Honor author. Lizzy, with her pluck and persistence, is a complex and endearing strong-girl character.  Lizzy's father, and her friends are all fully formed, and their adventure together is firmly set in actual events that took place during this fascinating time period. Chasing Secrets is available from the library in print, recorded book CD, downloadable ebook versions. Ms Choldenko will be visiting the library to talk about this book on October 28, 2015.

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