I love books in verse. The author did a nice job of teaching about a time in history that schools don't teach about and making the characters come to life. I would add this to a school library.

I was really excited to read this one, as I love a novel in verse. However, I think I just wasn't in the right mood to read this one, as I just couldn't get into it. I think that is a me issue and not necessarily an issue with this book. I'll definitely try to come back to this another time, but for now it's 3 stars.

While I loved the historical aspects of history that I didn't know about I didn't like the In Verse writing style (the here and now). In my opinion it makes the story too hard to get into.
Im still giving this one 5 stars for the events that I learned about.
Wonderful characters that I enjoyed in getting to know and a place that was so well described that I felt like I was there.
I felt really angry in some places because the Chinese are human just like us.. God did make everyone in His own image. I wanted to cry in other places.
Im not sure why people have to be so cruel to others. It was just so wrong!! Wow!!
5 stars a job well done!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for Eureka. This book highlights a historical experience that isn't often shared for younger readers. The author, Victoria Chang highlights this period with appropriateness for elementary students. I also found myself doing a bit of research to learn more about this historical time.

Written completely in verse, this is the story of the 1885 expulsion of Chinese from Eureka, California. It centers around a young girl who is sent to Eureka because it is thought to be safe, but for her, it turns out to be the most dangerous time of her life and not just when she is forced to flee the city. It's a heartbreaking rendering of a time in history that needs to be remembered and not repeated.

I enjoyed this story for it's historical content. I wasn't even aware of it before reading this book, so I felt like I learned a lot and want to learn more about this horrible time. The book is a quick read, but I think it gives just enough information for its intended middle grade and ya audience. I, personally, wanted a bit more of the story, but I can research it on my own. I appreciated that, although there was plenty of violence, it was handled with tact for a younger crowd. The poetic verse was also a great way to tell this story, and I think it will hit well with a lot of young historical fiction fans and with grown ups like me who feel like they missed this lesson in school.

Due to the increase in violence against Chinese immigrants in 1885, twelve-year-old Mei Mei is forced to leave her parents and her home in San Francisco and travel to the town of Eureka to live with an aunt and uncle whom she has never met. Even though Mei Mei and her parents were promised that Eureka was safe, she sees firsthand the violence and terror that her community is facing. As she navigates this unfamiliar world, she tries to figure out exactly who she is and what she wants for her future.

This novel in verse gave voice to the overlooked experiences of Chinese immigrants during a painful chapter of American history. Even with fewer words than a normal novel, Eureka still evoked a lot of emotions from me while reading: anger, frustration, and sadness. My one critique would be that I wish some of Mei Mei’s relationships were developed a bit more, as I think that it would add to the overall story and to Mei Mei’s character development. Otherwise, I think Eureka does a great job of making a lesser-known historical event more accessible for middle-grade readers. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for my classroom library when it is released!

This is an excellent historical fiction novel written in verse about the uprising against Chinese immigrants in the late 1800s in California. Focusing on Eureka, the author tells the story of a young girl who travels for better opportunities, but is thrown into a tumultous attack upon immigrants who were not European American. I think this book will be very accessible for middle grade readers who aren't familiar with this history as well as those who are interested in learning more.

The author includes a glossary that I found helpful as an adult, and includes key historical facts that were referenced in the book. Readers will learn a lot, and enjoy Mei Mei's story.

I highly recommend this book for schools and libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of Eureka by Victoria Chang! Eureka follows a twelve-year-old girl, Mei Mei, as she explores her own identity in tumultuous 1885 California. Throughout the book, Mei Mei finds parallels between herself, her mother, and those around her as she tries to find safety in a world that is not accepting of Chinese immigrants. She finds her voice and position in a world that does not want the same for her. Chang builds Mei Mei as a character through her interactions and actions, strongly connecting to her feelings and reflecting on her life as a whole, making this novel relatable to the targeted demographic. This novel in verse was both educational and accessible for middle grade students, and I'm looking forward to supplying it in my classroom library to build understanding in a little-known piece of American history.

Eureka was a moving and thoughtful look at a little known moment in history. I loved the use of novel in verse as it helped the reader not only move easily through the book but also feel the tension as it ebbed and flowed in the book. I loved the relationships that we saw form in the book and also wished that we could have seen more of it at times. I thought the use of culture was also very well done and would lead young readers to want to know more about it. Overall it was an amazing read.

I am huge fan of Victoria Chang as a poet, and this novel in verse did not disappoint. Wonderful telling of a little-known part of history. Chang uses the lyrical elements of the genre to pull of a wonderful, accurate read.