Mira's Diary: California Dreaming

Mira's Diary #4

by Marissa Moss

In the last book of the time-travel series, Mira explores the past of her familiar Bay Area, discovering layers of history in San Francisco and learning the real reason her mother has been working to change history. On the way, she meets Mark Twain and uncovers the Watcher's real identity.

Genres: Middle Grade, Time Travel, Historical Fiction

190 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 2016

About the author

Marissa Moss has written more than seventy books, from picture books to middle-grade and young adult novels. Best known for the Amelia's Notebook series, her books are popular with teachers and children alike. Her picture book Barbed Wire Baseball won the California Book Award gold medal. Moss is also the founder of Creston Books, an independent children's publishing house.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I started reading the book series (which was actually a couple years ago) I loved it straight away. I wanted to continue and finish it and I loved the beautiful ending. The books had everything I love such as mystery, fantasy, adventure and a bit of history. I loved how the author chose to write the action of the books in different countries. Each book has a character that was famous in that time (most likely a writer of some sort). You also question yourself who is that mysterious boy in every book? Is he a friend or a foe? The book also has an ending that will answer all your questions. What secrets is Mira’s mom hiding and who really is the Watcher? This is a book I recommend to everyone.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

page 61, i give up. Still don't understand what is going on, mostly my fault only some blame falls on the author. Starting a series on the third or forth book isn't fair to the story or the writer.
Thus is a time travel story, what i read takes place in current day Berkeley and 1860s San Francisco. The hero is a twelve(ish) year old girl trying to find her Mom somewhere in time, there is a villain (maybe) and Samuel Clemens.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start by saying I haven't read any of the other books in this series. I occasionally like to grab a title mid series to see if the series has to be read in order to be fully understood. Maybe I would have gotten more out of this had I read the other three books.

I love the Amelia's notebook series so I thought I'd like this title but it was just ok. I felt like the message came on a little strong and I would have been disappointed to read this whole series only to have the kind of half hearted explanation of why they were trying to stop the Watcher provided. The big event they were trying to stop was also never really addressed and instead it was just repeated that you can't know too much about your future which felt like a cop out.

The whole thing to me came off like someone in high school writing a first draft.