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Quake!

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With their parents away at the 1989 World Series, fourteen-year-old Franny, her younger brother, and their cousin try to cope with the frightening events following an earthquake that destroys their home on Loma Prieta mountain.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

7 people are currently reading
96 people want to read

About the author

Joe Cottonwood

19 books32 followers

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5 stars
29 (21%)
4 stars
34 (24%)
3 stars
44 (32%)
2 stars
27 (19%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
6 reviews1 follower
March 1, 2017
At first Quake was a interesting book with a good story line, but as the story went on it started to become a little boring and not much action was taking place at all in this book. Also, the way the author worded the text made it confusing to follow and I found myself having to go back and reread multiple times throughout the novel.
Profile Image for Amy.
36 reviews
September 19, 2011
It reads like a biography retelling of the event. It did inform me about some of the events that happened around an earthquake I just happened to catch on TV (I never watch sports, but just happened to catch that 1989 world series game). It did leave me with some big questions and I felt like some of the relationships were not fully developed. However, it was a good exploration of the immediate after effects of such a quake. Living in a mountain valley with a high probability of a severe earthquake in the next 25-100 years, It was worth reading. It changed some of the ways that I look at emergency preparedness.
Profile Image for Lori.
1,160 reviews10 followers
September 14, 2016
Fascinating look into the quake of '89, from the standpoint of several kids who were left alone while their parents went to the World Series. Cut off from nearly everyone (no cell phones), no water or electricity. Fires rages unchecked. People came together to help each other.
Profile Image for Christie.
182 reviews
April 19, 2022
My son was getting rid of this book, I don’t think he ever read it. I picked it up to see what it was about and was pleased to see it was about the ‘89 earthquake and not ‘06. Anyway, it started off being interesting but as soon as the parents arrive nothing else happens. I would have loved for this to be more of a teenage survivalist story instead of a series of observations. Close but no banana.
Profile Image for Nayari .
115 reviews7 followers
November 11, 2017
I loved this book as a child and I still love it as an adult. In my opinion, it is a vivid and visceral account of a teenager experiencing a traumatic event. The characters are real, flawed as they are. The process of shock is very well described and though the book is not action heavy, we are right there with Franny as she moves through her changed world, trying to process all the differences.
588 reviews1 follower
June 17, 2023
This a great story, very real ( based on true stories) with just a surprising, beautiful ending. I love the depth of the main characters!
Profile Image for Angeluismanzueta.
57 reviews
April 8, 2010
this book is about a fourteen yr old girl, and her brother, experience an earthquake and are very afraid because one. there parents are away. two. there house is destroyed. three. its an earthquake. they go on a small journey in the streets after the earthquake.
i would connect this book to text to world, because there are always earthquakes every year, and people always face diasaters in there homes, familys, and themselves.
i would give this book four stars because although there are challenges faced with the characters, which is the best part in the book, there are also a few boring parts in the story which explains the characters, feelings, and thoughts which bores me.
16 reviews2 followers
February 4, 2013
it was about a 1989 earthquake that struck california by oakland and san fransicso and during the quake there was a world series and if i was at the world series i would have been nervous because your with all those people and anything could happen. I would also be scared because the stadium might collapse because back in the 90's stuff wasn't that sturdy. I also would not want to be on the bridge because it collapsed when the earth quake happened. I would also be nervous if there was a earth quake and i was the only one home. This book was good because it showed what happened when there was an earthquake in california
883 reviews12 followers
April 15, 2014
gr 4-6 ? 143 pgs


October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta, CA. 14 year old Franny, her best friend Jennie, and her little brother Sidney are home alone when the earthquake hits. Together they head for their school, the meeting place in case of an emergency, helping the people they find along the way.

Good read.
Profile Image for James W..
Author 4 books2 followers
Currently reading
February 11, 2008
I'm so far intrigued. I was in California during that event...I'm fascinated with your angle on it!
Profile Image for Carolyn.
14 reviews
February 7, 2009
It was pretty stupid. I had to read it for a reading project. The characters kept using the phrase "Cut the crap" and one of the main character's is the dumbest prep ever.lol
Profile Image for Melinda.
402 reviews115 followers
March 16, 2011
Engaging account of the Loma Prieta earthquake through the eyes of a 14-year-old girl living in Loma Prieta, near Highway 17.
Profile Image for Amy.
63 reviews
December 20, 2015
I have often wondered what would it be like to live through a huge earthquake. Joe Cottonwood helps me understand in Quake!
Profile Image for Emmaly.
16 reviews
March 14, 2014
I loved the story line and the main idea but the writing in this book wasn't very good.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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