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Best Books About San Francisco
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There is a list of YA and Children's books set in San Francisco:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
Manybooks wrote: "Bridge of Time takes place in San Francisco. Have not read it yet, but if your niece is into time travelling novels, she might like this."She might like that if I can get her to read something that's not a graphic novel. Or read a book really, these days. I know she'll bring her iPad. I'm hoping to convince her to read on the iPad at least.
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She might like that if ..."
I know that Bridge of Time is available as an e-book.
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Kathryn wrote: "When is her trip? I’m late to this thread but will try to think of something to add if still useful. I’ve visited San Francisco and the Bay Area many times. We used to live just a few hours from th..."Very soon! She's still refusing to read. I've offered a few times to load up her iPad, I checked a stack of books out of the library. My mom showed them to her but she just wasn't interested. She loved reading when she was a toddler/preschooler! I may see if I can unlock her iPad and load some books on there anyway, just in case... She will be going to Alcatraz and maybe Chinatown so I'll see if I can get those at the library for this weekend when we'll all be together.
Kathryn wrote: "The Book Scavenger series (The Unbreakable Code) ."I started this last night and I can't put it down. I love word puzzles and especially the Poe connection. San Francisco didn't even exist yet in Poe's lifetime. He lived here for awhile and his ex-fiance, a poet in her own right, worked tirelessly to save HIS reputation after his death. They courted at the subscription library which also boasts an original "Raven" drawing. Poe is very popular around here and even I have never heard of "The Gold Bug." I have to go check that out soon.
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I started this last night and I can't put it down. I love word puzzles and especially the Poe connection. San Francisco didn't e..."
Oh, yay! I'm excited that you are enjoying it. I really liked many aspects of it, including the premise. So much fun! And it has great atmosphere for San Francisco. I hope your niece will read it (and like it) but glad it's a success for you, at any rate :-) The second book in the series will be even better for Alcatraz and Chinatown.
I couldn't put the book down and raced to finish it. I do agree with Kathryn's criticisms and add that a)kids under 13 online is a violation of the child online protection policy act even though I know everyone does it b)putting your middle school online on a forum for adults and kids is just plain stupid. Also, Emily missed the easiest clue and cipher of all. Even I know that one, with the Vs and dots.
I felt some sympathy for Mr. Remora at the end. I agree about the book but he did behave unethically.
The adventure was fun and I kept Googling the San Fransciso landmarks. I'll have to speed read through the second one this weekend to share with my niece while I have her pinned down before vacation. She'll be a captive audience mawa ha ha ha! READ BOOKS DANGIT! If I can get into her iPad I'll load the library app, sign in as me and download the audio book for her just in case she's bored! They're also going to the Redwoods with scanty wifi so will need to unplug for a bit.
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I'm glad you enjoyed it but also found some of the content troubling, like the middle school online forum and the kids just chatting with whomever. Yikes! Also, like you, I felt sympathy for Mr Ramora. Did you think the ciphers were well done? Ciphers are just not my thing so I didn't even bother trying to figure them out, I just skipped over them. I'm sure if I loved ciphers, and they are well done, it would have added to my enjoyment of the story. I hope your niece will give it a try and enjoy it!
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Still getting a no thank you when I suggest books. I like puzzles and codes but am not good at figuring them out. The only ones I got were the Pigpen cipher and the one in The Alcatraz Escape that Emily has to crack to get into the game. I got the answer wrong because I can't do math but I knew that if I consulted a math textbook I could figure it out. (Or asked a kid). They did add the Wave Organ to the list since they already have tickets to the Exploratorium. I told them to try "it's its" (next time I'm in New York I have to remember to find them) and they have a trip to Alcatraz booked too. I asked for pictures to see where the characters in the Al Capone series live. Niece is EXTREMELY excited about Alcatraz because she saw it on a ghost show on TV. She does not know my dad booked her a ghost tour of San Francisco by night. She has a Go Pro camera she can use to capture ghosts. (eye roll)
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Haha, well, I'm glad your niece is excited and that's cool your dad got her a tour that is so fitting with her interests. Too bad for the lack of interest in the books but I'm glad she is excited about the trip. I hope she takes lots of good photos for you. San Francisco has so many amazing things to see and do! How many days will they be there? I've spent entire days just in one museum! Great that they are going to the Exploratorium. I went there as a kid and it made a huge impression on me and I still enjoyed it when I went back as an adult.
Kathryn wrote: "Haha, well, I'm glad your niece is excited and that's cool your dad got her a tour that is so fitting with her interests. Too bad for the lack of interest in the books but I'm glad she is excited about the trip. I hope she takes lots of good photos for you. San Francisco has so many amazing things to see and do! How many days will they be there? I've spent entire days just in one museum! Great that they are going to the Exploratorium. I went there as a kid and it made a huge impression on me and I still enjoyed it when I went back as an adult"If they had let me plan the trip, they would have spent a week just on literary pilgrimages LOL! They'll be in the city a few days, Alcatraz one day, Chinatown and a tour of a fortune cookie factory- I think, Exploratorium, ghost tour, horseback riding on the beach (the big thing she's looking forward to). Then up the coast and out to the Redwood forest I think. Not sure all the details are ironed out and they might just let the kid decide what she wants to do based on suggestions.
I did tell her about the ships under downtown and a little bit about the gold rush. She'd like the maritime museum but those are all over the place here. Niantic is a town on the Connecticut shore and named for the indigenous tribes from that area. I'm betting the infamous ship Niantic from The Unbreakable Code was made in Mystic. If anyone is interested in the topic of the hidden ships in San Francisco, I'd recommend a visit to Mystic Seaport where you can climb on and visit in one of the whaling ships they have docked there.
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Oooh, Mystic Seaport! We went there when I was ten and it made a huge impression on me. It was fabulous!
I'm glad your niece etc. are going north to the redwoods and not to Yosemite. I'm so sad about the fire in Yosemite and hope they can save the giant sequoias--it was absolutely awe-inspiring seeing them in person. Are they going all the way to Mendocino or just across the Bridge to Muir Woods? Both are marvelous. I hope they have a great trip!
The fires out west are so horrifying and sad. I hear some experts are saving seeds in hopes of being able to replant some of these old trees. New England was deforested early on and then the Victorian era trees have succumbed to Dutch Elm and other diseases that there are very few large trees left but there is a HUGE 300+ year old tree in my old neighborhood. I don't know the full trip itinerary. I know Nonno (my dad) planned a surprise in San Francisco- a ghost tour, there's a trip to the Exploratorium, a trip to Alcatraz, horseback riding on the beach and some other places. I told my mom I wished Book Scavenger was real but I'd never solve the codes in time for them to find books. My niece gave up trying in Anna Strong and the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring: A Spy on History Book. Her stepdad was some kind of cryptanalyst for the military at one point but I know he'd never GIVE her the answer! Plus there's the whole "I only read graphic novels" thing.
Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Anna Strong and the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring: A Spy on History Book (other topics)The Unbreakable Code (other topics)
The Alcatraz Escape (other topics)
The San Francisco Splash (other topics)
The Unbreakable Code (other topics)
More...
Gold Rush Girl I liked how this one started in the house where Avi used to live. That cracked me up but also confused me because there was no mention of the ghost. Something Upstairs I loved seeing a 19th century girl walking and visiting the same places I visit often today. I also really liked the raw, honest look at 1849 San Francisco. The "ghost" ships intrigued me and I hope niece will read this and look for them buried under the city.
Newsgirl (young YA/older MG) also gives a good look at what San Francisco was like in the very early days plus both books deal with the emerging women's rights movement in kid-centered ways.
Chasing Secrets (young YA) deals with the little known plague outbreak and racism against the Chinese. This one is now very sadly all too relevant.
Lily and the Great Quake: A San Francisco Earthquake Survival Story (young MG) is the same old story but it's interesting because it's from the POV of a Chinese-American girl. Not the best written book I've ever read or the most realistic but it's cute.
Al Capone Does My Shirts (MG) I liked this series to begin with but never finished it because it got old fast. Word on the street is that the Alcatraz tour is fabulous and kids love it. I can download the audiobook on niece's phone or iPad for her from the library so I'm pushing the Alcatraz tour. (She gets to decide the outings).
Meet Julie Meh on Julie. The 70s doesn't feel very historical to me and the 70s references are too pointed but the illustrations show San Francisco and Happy New Year, Julie 1974 and Good Luck, Ivy are both about Ivy, Julie's Chinese-American friend. She's far more interesting than Julie.
I've read countless books about the 1906 earthquake. Mostly all YA and too advanced for a young 12 year old. I've read other Gold Rush stories too but they might feel dated by now. I read too many books to remember details.