I am a big fan of Jennifer Nielsen. This one feels a little off but still enjoyable. Great perspective of the historical Earthquake of 1906. Good information and well written.

Writing about a disaster requires a special set of writing skills, foremost among them the dual ability to make the characters have a stake that's not entirely related to the disaster itself. Nielsen did this beautifully in her book Iceberg (about the Titanic), but it doesn't quite work as well here. In large part, this is because we simply don't get quite enough information about the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. There are headings at the start of each chapter charting first the quake and then the progress of the fires, and bits of information about the way the Chinese community was treated and the corrupt city government are present, but they don't intertwine with Cora's story quite as well as they might have - and the historical note in the back doesn't really give readers any resources or additional information.

Still, the basic story and writing are good. Nielsen does a solid job of depicting Cora's moral dilemmas and if the plot about the rift between her family and her best friend Oliver's isn't as developed as it could be, it's still a good backdrop for the other issues she faces. Chi is the least developed character in the book, and since she's also the only nonwhite character, that's a problem; I really would have liked to see a bit more go into her other than "People in 1906 learn that Asians are human too."

I think I would still recommend Outrun the Moon to a middle grade audience looking for a book about the earthquake, but that doesn't mean that this one isn't worth reading. Rather it's the book you pick up when you already know the basic history and want a story in that time and place, not the one you pick up to learn about it in the first place.

What a fun adventure!! I loved this story so much that I was right along with Cora and Chi!! I simply couldn't put this wonderful adventure down!!
I finished it in one evening because it was so exciting right from the first page! Wow! I even felt the earthquake shake! Amazing!
I thought it was terrible about Oliver. I thought he was a nice boy too. A wonderful description of how friends can turn to enemies. I was sad for Cora but I was happy that she made a new one of course.
People come and go. Some not so good as im learning in real life too.
Here's what Oliver said and I believe it
"Sometimes, even the best of things break."
Usually, the fear of something about to happen is so muchworse than when it actually happens. But not this time.
The author weaved this in so well!! I hated it when I had to say goodbye to these wonderful characters.
I felt that Cora and Chi were the sisters I never had. Love loved this cute and fun story!! Such a fun and refreshing read
I loved the setting too. My favorite thing is historical facts mixed with fiction.
When i saw this title I knew I wanted it. I'm so happy that I was approved!
5 stars for a job well done!!!
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
Loved this one. It will be added to my September wrap up list.